


Supergirl of Asgard Part one

by SiryaEbonyBlack



Series: Supergirl of Asgard [1]
Category: Arrowverse - Fandom, Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Supergirl (TV 2015), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Flash (TV 2014), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Divergence - Pre-Thor (2011), DC Supergirl in MCU, F/M, Kara is named Kara Stark, Loki has an ally, Princess Kara Friggasdotter, Slow burn Kara/Loki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-07-10 20:08:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 72,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15956600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SiryaEbonyBlack/pseuds/SiryaEbonyBlack
Summary: Supergirl's pod didn't enter the Phantom Zone. It was pulled into the MCU by The Norns. See what happens to the MCU when an Arrowverse DC Superhero crashes on MCU Asgard, 10 years before the events of Iron Man with a destiny to save the universe from Ragnarök, but she still has obligations of her own in the Arrowverse.In Part One Kara's story is explained, She creates her Secret Identity as she settles on Midgard, er Earth, and deals with Asgard's wayward prince and political affairs.





	1. Chapter 1

I have many names. The one I am most often called is Supergirl, and this is my story.

I remember being woken by my mother. She was frantic. Yelling at me to hurry there wasn't much time. The earthquakes had started and the lifts were shaking so much I thought we would fall but the doors opened to my uncle's lab. We got there in time to see one of his prototype life-pods fly off into space.

He yelled Kal was away and to get me in the next pod. I was so confused, but my mother wasn't answering any of my questions and she pushed my seven year old body down into the seat. My uncle asked me to take care of Cal when I got to Earth and then with one last goodbye I was sealed inside. The launch sequence was fast, twenty seconds. Then I was forced back into the seat as the pod accelerated away from the planet.

I couldn't see the shockwave, but I saw the effect of it as it overtook my ship. I was at the edge of the Phantom Zone entrance when it hit. It ripped the dimensional folded space open but at the edge it also caused a tear. My ship slipped between the two areas of space and that is when the ship's stasis field activated.

The trip to Earth should have taken three years through Void non jump travel. But my trip was interrupted. I crashed on a planetoid that shouldn't have been between Krypton and Earth, because it had been destroyed thousands of years ago.

I was abruptly yanked from stasis when the front panel of the ship was ripped off the front. The change in atmosphere made it difficult to breathe and the bright light of the yellow sun made me blind to the figures that stood before me.

I couldn't understand their speech. It was strange and rough sounding to my oversensitive ears. One of the outlines waved the other back and came forward and placed a hand on my forehead as if to check my body temperature as my mother would have. His cool hand was still shocking to feel as was the tickling sensation that leaked from his hand over my head and into my ears.

"There, she should understand us now." The man said softly. "Are you alright little one?" He asked.

I blinked trying to focus my eyes. "Where am I?" I asked breathlessly. "Where's Kal?"

The man was starting to come into focus. He was fair skinned, dark long hair. "Your ship is the only one to have landed here." He explained to her softly, his voice meant to be soothing.

"You are on Asgard." Boomed the voice of one of the largest men I had ever seen. He was standing behind the dark haired one with several others.

I was once again startled. "Asgard is a myth." I gasped. Asgard! It had been the shining jewel of the Nine Realms of old but was ripped to pieces by Ragnarok before Krypton was formed. In some of our oldest myths it is said Krypton was in part created from pieces of Asgard, and the other Realm Hearts. I can hardly remember those stories, they were nothing more than bedtime fairy tales, and much discouraged by the Elders.

"She must be from Midgard to think such things," laughed one of the other men.

The dark haired one in front of me shook his head. "Midgard does not have such technology." He said to the others. Looking over the ship he looked thoughtfully at her. "The ship is something I have not seen before, nor is the writings on the consol."

"Please," I begged, "I need to find my cousin, he's only a baby. His ship left only five minutes before mine. He can't be too far away." I grabbed the hand of the man who was by now no longer a fuzzy outline.

All the figures were in light armor, which was strange to see since on Krypton only soldiers wore armor. There were five men and one woman. All of them much taller than she was used to, and three of the men were very broad shouldered.

"I'm sorry Little One," The green eyed, dark hair stranger told her gently, "but your ship is the only thing that has come anywhere near Asgard. Heimdall, our gatekeeper, would have seen another ship if it had come even close to our Realm."

"I have to find him." I pleaded. "I promised my uncle I would care for him!"

"Let's take you back to the palace to be seen to by our healers." The man suggested. "Perhaps Heimdall would have seen something after we left."

I nodded shakily and tried to stand, but fell down. My legs and limbs were still asleep from the stasis. "Here," He said as he helped pull me to my feet and then picked me up to carry me over to a horse that was nearby.

Once I was on the horse he mounted behind me and held me upright in the seat. "What is your name Little One?" He asked.

"I'm Kara Zor El of the House of El from the Planet Krypton." I answered formally, something about the way the others spoke suggested formality was the way I should address at least this person.

"Welcome Kara Zor El to Asgard." He replied as he pointed out the city ahead with a large golden arch like building in the middle. "That is where we are heading." I nodded and quietly leaned back feeling safe for the moment and beginning to fall back to sleep. The excitement and adrenalin had been the only thing keeping me awake; I was still under heavy sedation from the stasis.

"Who are you?" I managed to slur out as I began to pass out.

"I am Loki Odinson, Prince of Asgard." His voice held a hint of laughter.

"Oh ok." I mumbled as I fell back into the darkness.

In the days that passed I was treated for the stasis sickness than I had suffered from. It took a few days to overcome. Had I come out of it naturally, I would have woken as if from a long sleep when the pod opened, fully refreshed. I hadn't. Crashing on Asgard had happened much later or too early, I'm not sure which. Their calendar didn't match to mine, and the recordings of the ship were interrupted by three beings that had touched the ship as I passed through the rift making the passage of time impossible to see. It has also shut down the timer to the stasis program, making it impossible to even guess how long I had been under.

While I was in the healing rooms the Queen herself had come and seen me. It had taken a few hours but I had been able to tell her what happened and she had seen a recording sent by my mother. It had asked that whoever found me to please help raise me and Cal El and that the ship had the repository of all Kryptonian knowledge that would unlock as I aged, teaching me what I needed to know, but it was locked to my DNA and no one would be able to access it but me.

Queen Frigga had told me that she had been asked by the Norms to oversee my upbringing and I would now be her daughter in the Norse traditions. There was a fostering ceremony and I was named Kara Zor El Friggadotter. As a royal ward I was treated and even called a princess, but I spent nearly all my time with Frigga in the first few years.

Thor and I had a dislike/hate/indifferent type of relationship. He was an arrogant braggart and I hated him and his taunting. He loved to belittle and torment me for being a weak little girl. His friends were no better. It was worse at the beginning when I was recovering from the sickness. It took several weeks before I began to feel strong enough to explore and attend dinners and other occasions. It was a year before I started weapons training. Mother started me on small arms, daggers and hand held crossbows.

Loki was much more indulgent in those early days. I had never seen magic and was fascinated by what he could do. He would laugh and do little things like make a small glass World Tree or other babbles for me when the others weren't looking.

I was thirteen when things began to change. I was suddenly gaining powers and my strength was gaining at an unnatural rate. The day I nearly killed Sif with a literal red hot glare for being rude to me was the day I was barred from the regular training grounds. My Heat Vision appearing unlocked a wealth of information that the computer had hidden thinking my powers wouldn't develop since I was not on Midgard. It was determined by Loki could now understand the math Krypton used verses what Asgard did to determine that their yellow sun was close enough in radiation strength and composition that my powers would develop while on Asgard, but not come to full strength they would on Midgard.

Heat Vison was only the first such power. X-ray vision had scared me the first time and it had taken two days before I could control the sight to come when I willed it. Flight and invulnerability was coming along in bits and pieces. At first it was more of being able to jump huge distances than true flight. The invulnerability was evident in the strength of my bones and the toughness of my skin. Freezing breath caused a huge controversy since it was considered by many to be too close to a Frost Giant's ability. Many Asgardians began to shun me at that point.

Loki had begun to help me learn to control the abilities. I knew it was in part because it was interesting to him but also because he could now have access to the Krypton database. The last incentive was getting to learn the Kryptonian language, both written and spoken.

It was just after he began to work with Mother and I on my powers and control that a noble of the court had been rude to me during a feast. Mother had been about to call the man out for what he'd done but Loki beat her to it.

"That was my sister." He stated in a very cold and demanding voice. The entire hall quieted as the noble turned to face Loki. He didn't seem all that disturbed until he saw the fury in Loki's eyes and the anger on Mother's face. At that point he begged forgiveness and moved away quickly. After that you could say I saw Loki as my personal hero.

He had given me two very special gifts for my fourteenth and fifteenth birthdays. The first was a storage space like his where he kept his armor and weapons so he could call them to himself when he needed them. It allowed me to fade on armor or clothes like he did. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. The second was a pendent made with a very special stone.

 

The pendent came about because of an incident where a visiting diplomat had made an observation that I looked more like Thor's sibling than Loki did. The comment hadn't meant to be hurtful, but as I hated Thor, and it had hurt to be reminded that I was alone; the only Kryptonian, and possibly the only mortal on Asgard. Loki had made the pendent with one of his specially created Lokistones.

Each stone was made in part from diamond dust, black opal, and his magic. The black flat stone was small, only about a caret in size, but it was beautiful. The stone was almost completely black with specks of rainbow light and green and gold sparkles making it look like a tiny galaxy. That wasn't all it did. It also gave me the ability to change my features by way of an illusion to become a near perfect female clone of Loki. We had the same hair, eyes and it made me seem a little taller.

In the next two years I used the pendant's ability almost all the time. I also took up Loki's hobby of trying to prank people who annoyed me. Thor and his friends most often were my targets. Mother was both appalled and amused at my antics, Odin, not so much.

It was because of one of those pranks played on a visiting diplomat's arse of a son that Odin decided it was time for me to move to Midgard as was the intent of my people. I think he was trying to see if being on Midgard would make me immortal like them. It had been hinted at in the database that it was possible that longevity could occur, and Odin was concerned for Frigga's sake. A hundred years wasn't a long time by their standards, but it was enough to cause irreparable damage. He could tell she loved me as much as she loved Loki or Thor. Losing me would be soul damaging to her. That was the only reason I agreed to move without a fight. I didn't want to cause my foster mother that kind of pain if it could be avoided.

In the first few months on Midgard Loki had travelled with me off and on, when his duties on Asgard allowed for it. I spent most of the time correcting the information I had about this Earth compared to the Earth I had come from and the information stored in Brainiac's database. He scolded me several times for my antics in saving the lives of humans when I could. I know it was because he was worried, but when I came out as Supergirl after saving a plane from crashing near New York City, he had laughed and defended my actions at court in Asgard. I was officially made the Ambassador to Midgard, but I wasn't to out that Asgard existed as of yet.

And that is how my story on Midgard began.


	2. Secret Identity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting up the secret Identity is important for every superhero, Unless you're Tony Stark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Story Ten Rings takes place after Kara establishes her secret Identity but before the next chapter.
> 
> I am aware I changed the age Kara was during the death of Krypton. In the show she was 13, in my story she was 8.

SoA Part 1  
By Sirya Black  
Chapter 1: Secret Identity

 

Who is Supergirl?  
By Peggy Norton  
Wall Street Journal Jan 30, 2009

Who is this girl who swept out of the sky and saved an entire plane from crashing down into the city of New York and missing the Brooklyn Bridge last week wearing a blue and black armor, knee high boots, short leather skirt and long red cape with a golden S stylized on the cape and chest plate?

The name given to her by the passengers of that plane was Supergirl.

She was born on the planet Krypton in another dimension she explained during an exclusive interview. When their planet suffered a catastrophic accident she and her cousin were sent off in escape ships to come to Earth. Her ship was knocked off course and the shock wave of the planet’s explosion caused a rift that landed her in our universe, one in which her own planet seems to have never existed.

“I’ve searched for the star system that Krypton was a part of and that star system seems to be missing from your night sky.” She told me. “I even had some friends look into it. The system never truly formed here. That is likely why I was able to cross the barrier between dimensions without damage to the space time continuum since I can’t exist here. I was never born.” She offered a much more detailed description but warned me it would require an advanced astrophysics and mathematics degrees to understand.

I took the explanation to several of Culver University’s professors and alumni. I received a very detailed but affirmative agreement from most of them that the calculations and the information provided by Supergirl indicate that the system she was born in never formed in that section of space. Further investigation of Supergirl’s information has suggested that the rift was a short-lived wormhole that sealed itself shortly after she arrived.

“I have been on Earth for a few years learning your languages and about your cultures.” She admitted shyly. “I didn’t want to stand out too much when I got here. I have spent countless hours learning all I can. I have tried to keep a low profile, but when I saw the plane falling out of the sky the other day I had to do something. I couldn’t just ignore it.”

She admitted to having done several such heroic acts in the past as she traveled around the world learning about Earth culture. She was responsible for the frosted over forest fire in Canada last summer, a welded ship that was leaking oil into the Atlantic Ocean last fall, and the tour bus that flew over a valley in India last spring instead of falling into a ravine.

“I tried to remain unseen.” She admitted shyly. “I don’t want to scare anyone. I just want to live my life, but I don’t want to end up in a lab being experimented on either. I have these powers and it seems a waste to not help if I can.”

 

Fury looked up from his tablet where the Wall Street Journal article was open. “Is there any way to contact this Supergirl?” He asked Agent Coulson. “She could help us, and she would possibly be a good candidate for the Avengers Initiative. She certainly has the right attitude for it, if she is on our side.”

Coulson shook his head. “I left a message with the reporter, but she said that Supergirl came to her after reading and watching what all the newspapers and network news programs were saying about her. She wanted to get on the record before things got out of hand and caused a panic. She didn’t leave any contact information.”

“I hate that a super powered alien is flying around and we can’t get a fix on her location.” Fury scowled as he once more looked down at the article. “Even Stark Tech is useless in tracking her.”

“She doesn’t seem to be hostile.” Coulson said mildly. “She is much like Steve Rogers in her regard for civilian lives.” Coulson had been looking into each of the incidents as possible 098 sightings and each event had left people shaken but grateful to the unseen hero.

“For now,” Fury said darkly.

 

 

Sept 15 2009

Nineteen-year-old Kara had thought long and hard about what she wanted to do with her life now that she had finished reviewing the Krypton knowledge bank about Midgard and built her Fortress in the place Loki and her had deducted would be the most hidden place she could build it. She had spent the last two years studying the planet and comparing the information from the Database to the reality of the Midgard she was living on.

It seemed that other than the names of some of the cities, companies, and their locations, most of the database was correct, on the surface. Metropolis was New York, Wayne Industries was replaced with Stark Industries and instead of the headquarters being located in Gotham (which was now named Chicago in this dimension) it was in New York and Los Angeles.

A few other things seemed to stand out as slightly different such as the metahumans that had begun to spring up on the Original Earth she was to land on were called mutants here. It was interesting but overall unimportant as the whole world was new to her and it was a matter of shifting jargon mostly.

The history component was a different story. Several major shifts had happened; one, Atlantis was still completely hidden from the human world or it no longer existed, she was still unsure about that. The second major shift seemed to be the presence of at least two infinity stones on Midgard. One was protected by a sect of sorcerers and not used often enough to gain any attentions from the other realms. They respected the power of the stone and kept it hidden from view. The other was being held by the spy agency SHIELD. While they were poking at the Tesseract, they had not attempted to do much beyond harassing some of the excess power the stone gave off. If they began to use it as the Nazi’s and Hydra did in World War II then the realm of Midgard would send up another flare to the other Realms that would gather the combined notice of some of the more ruthless Races to come and investigate.

The presence of the stones had changed the course of history from the time of the Dark Ages. One such event was the spread of the Black Death. It had avoided parts of Northern Europe that they hadn’t in the database’s histories. This changed history by the sake of those that died in one timeline lived and had children in this one. Another major change was the destruction of the Island of Themyscira, home of the Amazons. It’s destruction by mysterious means before the rise of Rome changed many smaller events in history and made the rise and fall of the ‘Greek gods’ rather quick.

She had updated the Database with the new information as she found it.

She liked the Fortress she had built in the underground frozen tundra of the northern most reaches of Norway. She had built it several hundred miles from the magnetic North Pole. Any closer she would have run the risk of being discovered by the North Pole Research Base by being too close to their equipment and flight paths. The station was unmanned most of the year so she really only had to watch for planes during the summer months. The Fortress being underground also allowed for her to have several passageways into the cavern she had built to help avoid detection of the actual placement of her home.

Above the Fortress was a flat ice sheet that gave no indication of her base, other than a slight heat signature that was easily disguised as regular earth geometric forces, which she had tapped into to actually heat the inside of the crystal palace. It was also close to an open pathway through the branches back to Asgard, the only path she knew well. There were two others she could use, but this one was the most discrete for coming and going from Asgard.  
Loki had shown her these three pathways, and how to travel on them back to Asgard without needing to use the Bifröst. It involved a bit of time and concentration. It was not something she could do on a whim. She had to prepare and gather extra ambient magic into the pendent to open the paths. The small oval shaped Lokistone pendent she wore could absorb the excess magic to be used as needed. To open the gates required more power than the stones normally carried.

The spells on the pendent were very elaborate. Loki had layered the different spells into it so that she would always be able to hide, or return to Asgard regardless of the Bifröst being open or not. The seven Lokistones had been made centuries ago during an experiment with his magic. They were literally little pieces of his magic, diamond and opal. He’d often used them as batteries for his power when he’d gone exploring with Thor and the others. The spell layers used very little magic, but allowed her access to her pocket space, and power a glamor normally. Those two spells rarely provided too much of a drain on itself to require a recharging from the ley lines of Earth’s magic, or from Loki himself.

Kara sighed as she looked out over the busy street of New York. She was in a professional looking pants suit, sipping coffee across the street from Stark Enterprises Headquarters. She had a used a glamor spell in her Lokistone pendent to cover her blonde hair and blue eyes with a complete illusion of black hair and green eyes and a slightly leaner taller frame. The complete illusion changed her features for all forms of pictures and recording devices as well as fooling anyone who saw her. She was always careful to make sure that her ‘human persona’ and her natural Supergirl one could not be confused.

Looking up at the building that housed Stark Industries she once more she bit her lip to stop it from trembling with nerves. She had an idea for how to earn enough money to consider going to university to gain a few degrees. She was unsure if the idea was wise and wished her foster mother was here so she could have asked her what she thought. Being so young was both an advantage but mostly a disadvantage.

She missed her foster mother Frigga. She had only been eight when she landed on Asgard. Thor, Loki and their friends had found her unconscious in the ship and had taken her back to the palace to be healed. When she woke she was very confused to not be on Midgard. She had been even more shocked to find out she was not in her own galaxy. The Queen Frigga had decided to foster her until she was old enough to allow her to make her way to Midgard. She had been given the name Kara Zor El Friggadötter while on Asgard. Her foster mother was a seer had told her the Norns themselves had asked her to watch over me. No one on Asgard would dare insult, or ignore a favor asked of the Norns.

It had been an interesting time for her. She had been granted the ability of “All Speak” when Loki had found her. Later she learned how to read Asgardian Runes and the other languages of the Nine Realms. She in turn had taught Frigga and Loki how to speak, read and write in Kryptonian. Loki had loved the idea of having a language only three people in the universe could read. Frigga had insisted on learning so she could help Kara with her Kryptonian lessons through Brainiac, the Kryptonian computer system that had come with her in her ship.

Kara had learned the basics of the history of the Realms and the World Tree, and the histories of Krypton. She knew what her people and the Asgardians knew of sciences, math, literature, arts. She was also taught warfare and fighting techniques by Frigga, Loki and some of the guards as she grew up. Asgard was a warrior culture it couldn’t be avoided. She had learned; hand-to-hand defense, knife, shield, short sword, bow and staff fighting. Kara preferred hand, staff and knives to sword, axe and shield.

Asgard had been a severe culture shock for her. While the Krypton council positions were passed down through the families (the House of El having been on the council) it was still a government of the people with no single monarch. The citizens were all of equal rank. As a non-council member of the House of El, Kara and her parents had no special rank beyond their positions, such as her mother being a Chief Justice and her father being a leader in the scientific field. They were positions that were earned, not handed out by a lottery of birth.

She hadn’t understood for quite a while why Thor and Loki were both considered important compared to Thor’s friends. The idea of classes not being equal such as nobles, warriors and such was so strange that it was almost frightening. She was made an ‘Honorary Princess of Asgard’ because Frigga was her foster mother. She was not in line for the throne, but the title even today gave her status that she was uncomfortable with. The only perk as far as she was concerned was that it allowed her to sit with Frigga at special events and feasts, and allowed her to live within the palace. It cost her in that she was considered a member of the Royal Family and a Warrior of Asgard who could be recalled by Odin if the need arose. Not that she expected him to even do that.

Her position as a foster child of the Queen basically was equal to being a ‘royal ward’, and gave her almost as much authority as Prince Loki within the palace and with the people of Asgard. Had Odin accepted her fully, she would have been in line for the throne, but it was decided as she was mostly mortal, that it was an unnecessary step. As the Queen’s daughter none would dare to harm her, but that didn’t mean they treated her well. Most considered her the Queen’s pet mortal and paid her little mind which had suited Kara. She didn’t like many of the people she had to interact with in Asgard, especially the nobles and warriors. Most of them had a much too high an opinion of themselves, Thor and his friends being some of the worst offenders in her mind. Their arrogance and treatment of others were a disgrace as far as she had been concerned and she made sure to distance herself from them whenever possible.

The warrior culture of Asgard made the biggest impact on her. Krypton had used forces of arms as a last resort when diplomatic solutions had all been exhausted. Asgardians all seemed to want nothing more than to die in battle. Heavily regulated battle. They had so many rules about fighting and what was honorable and what was not that Kara refused to learn them. She had refused to spar with Sif when Thor and the others learned she was being taught how to fight. Thor stopped asking her to join them on the training grounds when she told them the first rule in a fight was there are no rules. The final nail in her no longer being asked had been the incident with her heat vision that had nearly killed Sif when her powers had started forming. Needless to say she rarely saw Thor, Sif or the Warriors Three except at mealtimes in the hall where they proceeded to ignore her despite her status in the household.

Then there was the idea of magic, something that she had never heard of before. Magic simply didn’t exist in her home dimension as far as she knew, at least the way Asgard and the other realms used it. Watching Frigga and later Loki do magic was always fascinating to her. Loki would often indulge her desire to see a spell with a smile and a little wink when she had been younger, making him something of a personal hero to her, making her feel less lonely.

She rarely interacted with the other children. At first it was because she was a bit frail after so long in stasis, but afterward it was because of the amount of learning she had to do in comparatively such a short amount of time and of course her mortality was strange to the other children. Most of her day was spent with Frigga or a tutor learning her Asgardian subjects in the morning and her Kryptonian ones in the afternoon. The information on the Kryptonian database was age limited, but a complete copy of the entire Kryptonian knowledge base. As she aged she would gain access to more knowledge, but even now after she had left Asgard for Earth it was still somewhat limited because of her age and ‘need to know’.

As she got older on Asgard, her powers began to develop. Frigga had involved Loki in some of her lessons, helping her to fine tune the abilities as they grew. They had manifested like magical abilities. They grew slowly at first, but stronger as time went on. As far as they could tell being on Asgard had changed the intensity of some of the powers she was expected to develop, at least temporarily. The database had suggested she would develop stronger abilities on Midgard.

By the time she had left Asgard at seventeen she had developed her flying, speed, heat vision, and the beginnings of her ice breath. None of them were as strong as expected according to Brainiac. Her strength had not been up to the level it should be either, nor was her aging slowing as expected. She had been almost as strong as Loki physically, but nowhere near as strong as Thor as Brainiac had suggested. Frigga had advised that with Midgard’s yellow sun gave off a different level of sunlight, and that perhaps the strength and longevity would increase on this Realm.

She had been right. Kara’s strength had astronomically amplified after a year on Earth and her other powers also seemed to become much stronger as well. The Earth’s sunlight also seemed to increase her level of healing to super speeds, even by Asgardian standards. It had also slowed her aging, in fact it had regressed her aging slightly as old injuries had healed within months of her being on Earth.

While physically nineteen, her body had not aged since she had arrived. Instead it seemed as if she was a year younger, perhaps sixteen, but her age was not regressing any more after the initial months. Brainiac had alleged this was likely to happen, but Frigga and Kara had kept that information to themselves, deciding not to share it with anyone. They were unsure how far she might regress and the idea of immortality that was tied to another Realm was a weakness Asgard’s enemies should not be made aware of.

The other thing Frigga had noticed was Kara had a very small and inaccessible core of magic within her, not much more than any other ‘non-magical Asgardians’. Neither had any idea why that could be if magic was unheard of on her own planet. Loki and a few other seiðr users had theorized that when she passed through the tear in the World Tree her ship had touched the Tree or its leaves itself and her body had absorbed a small bit of magic through the ship. Frigga had done some studying and come to the same conclusion. The amount of magic was so small that Kara herself couldn’t use it without the aid of another seiðr user or her pendent.

Her abilities in magic were not likely to be ever really developed as magic was nearly non-existent on Midgard, and she hadn’t been expected to live the several millennia it would take to master the skills needed to become good enough to cast even very minor spells. She had never made it a priority beyond gaining control of it. Loki and Frigga had told her they would be willing to visit and help her out if the need for more lessons became a necessity. At this stage she wasn’t even a neophyte at magic, never mind a master of anything. All of the magic she used was tied to the Lokistone in her amulet

She looked back up at the building. Tony Stark had come out as Iron Man only three months ago. Recently he had handed over the company to Ms. Potts in all but name, she was officially the VP, but rumor had it he rarely ever was in his office. In looking into what she would need to work for such a company she had noticed their plans for the future and had an idea she wanted to propose. She not only needed money, she needed an identity. A company run by Iron Man was likely her best bet to avoid unwanted attention.

She threw out her empty coffee cup and walked into the alley to remove her disguise and placing it in her ‘pocket of space’ and shifting into her cape and armor. She then flew to the top of Stark Headquarters and took the stairs down to the level that the CEO and VP offices were on.

Her entrance on the floor caused a stir. Her armor was made mostly of hardened blue tinted leather, modeled after Loki’s black chest piece with her family crest in gold across the chest, and her golden tinted vambraces were decorated with the etchings of the Royal house of Odin. Her cape was attached by round golden pauldrons, one with the symbol of Frigga and another to symbolize Krypton etched into each. There was a mid-thigh length deep red leather skirt instead of leather leggings with a golden weapon’s belt which had her daggers attached to it. To compensate for the lack of leather on her legs she had red leather greaves on her thigh high boots. She had a helmet for combat situations. It was a reproduction of the Valkyrie’s helmet, but she never wore it on Midgard.

Everyone had stopped what they were doing to stare at her as she calmly walked up to Ms. Potts secretary. “Hello.” She said smiling at the dumbfounded woman. “I don’t have a phone so I was wondering if I can make an appointment to see Ms. Potts as soon as possible, please.”

The woman clumsily reached for the phone on her desk and after a few attempts managed to ring into the office. “Ms. Potts... Supergirl is here and would like to make an appointment to see you.” The woman waited a moment as Ms. Potts answered.

Kara could hear the shocked gasp through the phone. “Supergirl? Did she say why or what she is here for?” Ms. Potts sounded confused, but not concerned which made Kara smile. She was glad that Ms. Potts seemed to not be afraid of her. Too many people were still, especially when she was dressed in her armor. It was another reason why she had made sure to have the press interview, so people could know she wasn’t here to hurt anyone.

“Only that she didn’t have a phone and wanted an appointment to see you.” The lady said as she looked up at Kara.

“I had an idea and I wanted to see if Stark Industries would be interested.” Kara answered softly. The secretary relayed the information to Ms. Potts with even wider eyes as she realized Kara could hear Ms. Potts.

“Send her in… And move my next appointment back.” Ms. Potts said with a calm authority that seemed to help the woman to breathe a little more calmly.

Kara smiled and let the woman lead her to the door and open it. The office was huge with bookcases lining every wall; expect the large glass one behind Ms. Potts. The redheaded woman came forward and greeted her.

“Supergirl? I’m Virginia Potts.” She said as she raised her hand for Kara to take.

Kara took her hand and waited for the door to close. “Please, call me Kara. Supergirl is more than a little pretentious,” She softly said with a shy smile, “and was defiantly not my idea.”

Pepper gave her a warm smile and gestured for her to sit down. “Kara it is then.” She moved around her desk to sit in her chair and waited for Kara to sit. “So what can I help you with? You said you had an idea that Stark Industries might be interested in?”

Kara took a deep breath. “To be honest, in order for me to stay unnoticed on Mid… I mean Earth; I will be in need of a few things.” She corrected herself midway. “I don’t want to be Supergirl all the time. A job is one of those things I’ll need. I was hoping that I could prove useful to your company by placing your satellites in orbit for a fraction of the cost. In return I was hoping to get some help establishing an identity here on Earth and a regular job with flexible hours so I could come and go as I need to. I have quite a bit of knowledge about your level of technology, but not a lot of experience using it.” She admitted with a small blush.

Pepper began to smile. She found the young woman to be very trustworthy and honest in her demeanor and her Asgardian accent was charming. “You can fly in space?”

Kara nodded with a small bashful smile. “Not for too long since I need to hold my breath. About five minutes from the time I leave the atmosphere, but that’s more than enough time to place a satellite… if I leave from the right place. With a space suit and an air supply I can fly for as long as necessary. I would much prefer to have a suit for the job so it isn’t rushed.”

Pepper sat back and was quietly trying to hold her excitement in. “What is your educational background. I read the interview you did with the Wall Street Journal. It suggested you know advanced astrophysics and mathematics. Satellites are expensive pieces of equipment as you can imagine. I’d need to know you could place them precisely.”

Kara nodded and gave her another shy smile. “I know everything a young adult Kryptonian is supposed to know before taking on an apprenticeship in their chosen field. I have researched your educational requirements of your different degrees in each field. My education level is easily the equivalent to a master’s degree in all your math, and sciences. Except for your Literature and World History, I’d say I possibly have an associate college level of understanding in those, but I could increase those as well if you need me too.”

Peeper sat up straighter in her chair and leaned forward trying hard to keep her expression from showing how impressed she was. “How are you at engineering?”

Kara looked a little apprehensive. “With a little studying I could be at a master’s level in a few months. Building on Krypton was mostly physically done by Artificial Intelligence Drones, but city planning and design was still done by people. What I consider basic engineering was part of the mathematics I learned. That would be a little less than Masters Level. My problem would be more limiting what I know to your type of technology as Krypton used different systems.”

“So AI experience…” Pepper made a note but looked pleased at her experience with technology. “And computer programming?”

Kara looked even more confused but answered her questions as honestly as she could. “Nothing as far as Earth technology is concerned. I have never needed to program anything, although I likely could, using my Kryptonian technology but the programs wouldn’t be useable by your systems without doing some major conversion. The computers I use are crystal based, not metal and plastic.” She didn’t mention the Asgardian technology as it likely wouldn’t be of use. It was also forbidden for her to mention Asgard to the Midgardians without approval from the Allfather.

Pepper sat back and smiled looking very relaxed and pleased. Kara felt her spirit’s lift. Pepper looked to be very interested in her idea and it gave her hope.

“We can change that quickly and get you up to speed on Earth tech or at least Stark Tech which is slightly higher than most. In house tech is even higher than the public gets access to.” Ms. Potts slowly leaned forward and began writing additional notes to herself. From where she was sitting Kara couldn’t see what it said so she listened carefully. “I have a counter-proposal for you.”

“Oh?” Kara questioned carefully.

Ms. Potts gave her an inviting smile. “I will give you a job, and I will get you an identity in whatever name you decide... In exchange Supergirl will place the satellites. Kara will be a personal lab assistant to Tony Stark, once you get caught up on those areas of study.” She countered calmly. “Especially computer use. And you call me Pepper. It’s a nickname my friends use.”

Kara was extremely surprised. “What’s the catch?” The situation seemed too good to be true. It was everything she’s hoped for plus extra perks. Working with Tony Stark was the dream of most anybody who knew anything about engineering on the planet, and having someone as important as Pepper Potts as a friend was certainly an honor as well.

Pepper snorted but didn’t laugh when she saw Kara’s confusion. “Have you ever seen any non-Ironman footage of Tony?” She asked her is slight disbelief.

Kara shook her head. “I don’t have a TV or phone. I just use my computers to research; I haven’t really looked at any videos of people or the internet for pleasure, just a few movies for Pop Culture references such as Star Wars.”

Pepper reached over to her phone. “Eveline, can you get me a full tech Stark phone and tablet for Supergirl please? And a laptop, best we have.”

“Yes ma’am. The phone and tablet are already on their way up.” She answered. “I’ll call down for the laptop. It shouldn’t be too long Ms. Potts.”

“Thank you.” Pepper smiled as she hung up. “I like proactive people.” She turned back to Kara. “To be blunt Tony has issues that most geniuses do, and his personality is very abrasive on purpose to drive people away. I think you are one of the few people in the world he could respect.” She stopped for a moment to consider something before adding. “He also has a few issues about his father that makes him even more difficult to get along with.”

Kara smiled and nodded in understanding. “My brother is-” She cut herself off with a small blush at being caught saying something she shouldn’t. “I mean he was like that too with most people.” she looked down at her hands sadly. She missed Loki and Frigga so much today.

Pepper could tell she was hiding whom and how she’d been raised. The girl was a horrible liar, but Pepper didn’t say anything to her about it. Kara’s secrets were her own. She was certainly entitled to have some considering what she did for others so far. As long as those secrets didn’t harm Tony or SI Pepper was content. “Do you have someplace to stay in the city?”

“No, my home is a very long way from here.” She answered more secure once Pepper ignored the family slip.

“How far?” Pepper asked curiously.

“Give or take about four thousand miles,” Kara deadpanned. Inwardly she waited to see how Pepper would react.

Pepper’s eyes widened in shock but otherwise she didn’t respond negatively. “That’s quite the commute.”

Kara’s eyes darkened as she remembered Loki’s reasoning for hiding the fortress from the humans. Without the stealth employed SHIELD and other spy agencies would likely try to take everything she owned. They would also quite possibly lock her up in a lab if they ever found a way to negate her powers. “I had to find a place that wasn’t watched by your spy agencies and especially SHIELD. But it’s not a long commute for me, only a few minutes.” She added with a playful smirk.

Pepper nodded slowly as she returned the smile. She purposefully didn’t think about where that would place her ‘home’. That kind of information would have her end up in Fury’s interrogation room and that was something Pepper did not want to experience. “You know Stark Industries does business with SHIELD.”

Kara gave her a humorless nod. “And I know anyone I took my idea to would have to deal with SHIELD in some capacity. But while I don’t watch TV for pleasure I do keep up with the important news, and your company seemed the best bet I had.” She bit her lip softly. “Mr. Stark stood up to the US Government about his suit and not making weapons. I hoped that attitude will extend to not telling them Kara is Supergirl.”

Pepper sat back in her chair. “I am going to get you everything you need to begin your studies, and set up an apartment here in the city for you… off the books for now.”

Kara looked surprised. “You don’t have to do that. If I can get the course material I can go home and study from there. Besides I can’t afford to live here in New York, Pepper. All my wealth is in wergild which you don’t use here on Earth.” She actually also had a fortune in gold, but if she started exchanging it in the quantities she needed, she’d be very quickly found by not only SHIELD but every other government agency that could and would search for her. She could actually hurt the financial status of the world economy by dropping that much gold into the marketplace was the secondary reason she resisted the idea so far. When she had first arrived on Earth Loki had come with her to help her exchange a bit of gold for Earth currency. They had only exchanged about eighty-five thousand worth of gold in very small quantities in several different countries over the course of several months. Once she built the Fortress she hadn’t needed to pay rent or hotel room costs, but she still had other expenses. So the money was nearly gone.

Pepper waved it off. “I will advance you an allowance against your first paycheck, which we should discuss. Placing a satellite in orbit costs us a minimum of fifty million dollars each, even at twenty-five percent minus production costs of the satellite you are looking at roughly ten and a half million each, and we have four that need to go up this year alone.”

It was Kara’s turn to be taken completely by surprise. “I don’t need that much. I was thinking about fifty thousand each.”

Pepper laughed at her flabbergasted expression. It made the young hero look like the young teenager she was. “No one needs that much money, but it’s what you’ll earn, unless you want more?”

Kara shook her head frantically. “How would I even be able to legally earn it? Supergirl is an alien, and I don’t have a past or a Social Security Number.”

Pepper smiled at her sat back further in her chair. “We can arrange for it to be placed in an account for your use only within Stark Industries. We can also arrange for some of the money to be placed in several accounts after we get your identity set-up. We also will not advertise that Supergirl is working with Stark Industries; instead it can be for services rendered by your secret identity. We’ll set up times and places and clear the area for your launch dates. Only a few will know and they will be sworn to secrecy. That should buy you a little time to establish Kara separate from Supergirl.”

Kara sighed gratefully. “I accept as long as the apartment rent is accounted for too, and the price of making my identity as real and legal as possible.”

Pepper gave her a warm genuine smile while nodding slowly. It was nice to deal with someone so honest after dealing with government officials and two-faced board members all day. “Do you have a name you want to use?”

Kara bit her lip, she knew she was going to need to trust someone on the planet with her details and so far Pepper was going out of her way to be accommodating. “My real name is Kara Zor El Friggadötter.”

Pepper was both confused and surprised by the complete name. The Zor El was alien enough but the last bit... “The last name is Norwegian, is it not?”

Kara chuckled softly. “Close… It’s Old Norse actually.”

“But you’re from Krypton.” She said as her brows came together. “Why would you have an Earth name?”

Kara bit her lip, looking down and blushing she answered quietly. “I’m not allowed to say any more about that. I’m sorry.”

Pepper nodded her head slowly as her mind tried both to figure out the mystery and to ignore it, so she wouldn’t be visited by Fury. “I can understand that.” And she did. She had millions of secrets she couldn’t tell people. Mostly Tony’s secrets, but she understood a need to know situation. When it came to Kara’s past, she didn’t need to know. It was likely Kara was protecting someone or several people. She certainly could understand that considering the situations she’d been in after Tony returned from Afghanistan. It was most likely a family who had found her and helped her out the past several years. The name Frigga was gnawing at her, like she knew it. “I think staying with the first name Kara would be a good idea. You’ll answer to it naturally.”

Kara sighed with relief when Pepper accepted the secrecy, and nodded her agreement. “I really don’t know what to use as a last name however. I suppose I could use Friggadötter.”

Pepper laughed as a wicked thought past through her head. “I am almost tempted to use Stark just to play with the press and of course Tony’s mind. I’ve had to deal with many women over the years claiming to have been impregnated by him... And we’ll need a disguise to keep people from the press putting together that Kara is Supergirl.”

Kara gave her an evil smirk she’d picked up from Loki. She stood then activated the glamor of her human illusion in her pendent before she looked back up at Pepper. “How is this?” Standing there in a simple white shirt and long grey pencil skirt with black high heels was a lean, tall woman with thick long black hair pulled back behind her ears, and piercing green eyes. Her face was just a shade thinner than Kara’s natural features, but it was enough that a facial recognition program wouldn’t put them together. No one could mistake the dark hair woman in front of her with Supergirl; even her height was slightly altered.

Pepper covered her mouth with a gasp before she laughed out loud. “Oh with that hair color, I think we could easily make people think you could be Tony’s daughter if we wanted to. And with your age, and the degrees we are going to get...” She smiled smugly, her chuckle too bright to be called sinister, but Kara was glad to hear the mischief in it. “I think we are going to do this, but we’ll say you have no relation… But the jokes will be fun. Plus if Kara is in the spotlight as ‘Tony’s possible and secret illegitimate daughter’ no one will think twice about you and Supergirl. Your secret identity will be too high profile, but we can fake footage as needed to cover for both Kara and Supergirl to make sure we keep you safe.”

Kara deactivated the illusion and sat back down. “Oh this will definitely be fun.” She chuckled softly. Her pranks on Asgard had never been malicious, unlike Loki’s tended to be. She had always been trying to produce embarrassment in her victims, not complete humiliation.

“Yes, I’ll set you up in our penthouse on 67th. I rarely use that one since it doesn’t have as good view compared to the others, but it does have a large private balcony for you to come and go from.” Pepper said thoughtfully. “Once you are ready let me know. I’ll check in with you every few days or so. We’ll see how you are doing. And I’ll get your account setup and have everything by started by tomorrow.”

Kara stood and shook Pepper’s hand. “I really can’t thank you enough for all this.”

“It’s my pleasure. Once you’re settled we can go out for dinner and get to know each other better as friends.” She said with a large smile. Being thought of as Tony’s side piece had been a limiting factor in making friends since she had become Tony’s assistant. She was looking forward to getting to know Kara better even if she was ten years younger than herself.

Kara beamed at the use of the word friends. Friends beyond family had been something she’d been without for a long time. “I’d like that Pepper.”

 

Dec 15, 2010 (Three months later)

Surprisingly there wasn’t that much to learn as far as engineering went. She already knew the hardest parts of the engineering textbooks. The toughest and most boring part was learning the Earth jargon for everything and their measurement systems. Metric took an hour, Imperial still made no sense to her but she understood it easily enough.

The computer programing information was much harder, but she now knew how to take a computer apart and read basic code, without breaking anything. She was no hacker by any stretch but she could read a very basic program now. Pepper had only wanted her to understand how to use a regular computer and the holographic interface she had brought over. The AI based technology was different as it required both touching and voice commands. It took a few days for her to remember to touch the holographic displays with the right amount of pressure. At least they weren’t breakable.

Her new identity was Kara Aurora Stark. She was born July first nineteen ninety-four, making her identity sixteen, since that was how old she looked. Aging herself was going to be in issue that could be put off for a while, since she would need Loki to adjust the shapeshifting spell to do it. Kara never asked who Pepper had arranged to create her identity and Pepper never offered it.

Pepper had set her up with MIT. They required her to take the final exams for all the courses before they were willing to supply her with her master’s degrees in engineering, mathematics and astrophysics (with a full tuition payment and a large donation from Stark Industries, which Kara insisted she pay for). She had passed with an A average and was given the degrees with no fanfare to draw attention to her.

Kara had placed the first satellite last week. With it fully operational she was now in the black and no longer dependent on Pepper’s generosity. Even with all the costs of setting her identity up, and buying the New York penthouse apartment from Stark Industries, Kara still had over four million dollars in her account. Pepper had attributed her “payout” for services rendered in ‘consultation of cost saving initiatives’ and a new computer program that Tony had actually written with the help of JARVIS. She said the subterfuge was to hide some of the future payouts to Supergirl as ‘royalties’ and that Tony wouldn’t care that she got the credit for the program.

Right now everything had to seem aboveboard and fudging of where funds where coming from could come later. Also it was easier to move Tony’s money around to create her a ‘Trust Fund’ than it was to use Stark Industries accounts for the first while. Kara had paid the money Pepper had appropriated from Tony with gold bullion from her Wergild since Tony having that kind of personal gold reserves wouldn’t hurt the economy or create questions as she wasn’t likely to spend it before Kara could buy it back a little at a time with each satellite placement.

She had also spent some time doing research on Tony Stark. The older webpages looked like a porn search. It consisted of a list of who he’d been with, and there were photos with lots of blurred out spots when he’d been caught without clothing by paparazzi. The newer stuff was mostly on Iron Man, his kidnapping and the death of Obadiah Stane.

So with her new degrees and her new Identity as Kara Stark she walked with Pepper into the Malibu home of Tony. Pepper was a little scary today. She was getting into the idea of this prank a little too enthusiastically.

They walked into Tony’s lab and Kara took a moment to take in all the beyond state-of-the-art equipment and the robots that buzzed around the workshop. Tony himself had his back to them and was talking to his AI unit JARVIS about what changes he was devising to what looked like one of his suits.

“Tony.” Pepper called out to him. “I have someone here for you to meet.”

Tony turned and looked her over before dismissing her and turning back around. “Not interested.”

“Too bad Tony, she’s your new assistant.” Pepper said calmly but her face was just a little too bright. “Her name is Kara Stark.”

Tony, who had already started absently to wave them away again, froze. He slowly turned around and looked her over more intently. “You ran all the tests I assume.” He asked sternly and with some concern now. Pepper had never brought one of his ‘children’ to him before; none had ever passed the paternity testing. Despite being drunk half his adult life he’d always been careful to keep his own supply of condoms on hand so situations like this were not likely to happen.

“No need to.” Pepper said off-handedly waving her hand back at him, as he had started to do. Kara nearly snorted at the mimicry. “She is not related to you, nor claiming to be.” Pepper said with a smirk. Her eyes were dancing with mirth and Kara knew she’d asked JARVIS to record Tony’s face as she did this little act. Kara had to admit the look of shock on his face was really funny. “She does however have degrees in astrophysics, math and engineering from MIT. She is too brilliant to let go and too good to waste in regular R and D.” She glared at him sternly and Tony flinched slightly at the look before turning his attention back to Kara, looking very closely at her face, before he leaned back against his desk and crossed his arms.

Stark sarcastically asked. “How old are you? Twelve?”

“I am sixteen.” Kara told him firmly. It was kind of true to had told herself as she prepared for this encounter. Physically I am sixteen, she had repeated to herself often so she wouldn’t give the prank up too early.

“When did you start at MIT? The dean would have mentioned a prodigy in his halls at the last party we attended.” He stated flatly with fist tightening and his chest puffed up, drawing attention to his glowing chest. Kara could hear the hum of the arc reactor and see the indent in his shirt and the lights where the device sat.

Kara smiled at Pepper. “Four months ago. I was home schooled before that.”

Tony’s jaw dropped and his arms slackened. “Home-schooled? Who the hell were your teachers?”

Kara looked to Pepper. She laughed and nodded encouragingly to Kara. “He’ll need to know. And if he ever read the legal papers I placed in front of him he’d already know since he had to sign off on the satellite placement deal, and the gold. You can trust him, I promise.”

Tony didn’t look all that impressed so Kara magically let her glamor go and faded into her Supergirl armor. Once more Tony was completely flabbergasted. “You’re Supergirl? The flying alien girl.”

Kara nodded bashfully. “Yeah, not too fond of that name to be honest. My name on Krypton was Kara Zor El. And I’m nineteen, I think. There was a bit of an accident with my space craft while I was in stasis. I should have arrived here in in the fifties or sixties so we aren’t sure exactly how old I am.”

Pepper snapped around to face Kara. “What about the Norse name?”

“Norse name?” Tony asked looking completely bewildered for a moment as he looked back and forth between the two women.

“Friggadötter, I got that when I was fostered. I was only seven when the planet of Krypton blew up and my ship kept me in stasis until I was found.” Kara admitted. “I was… somewhere else before I came to Midgard… I mean Earth, but I can’t talk about it.”

“Other planets. We knew about that.” Tony said thinking deeply looking at her. “Obviously,” He said waving at her absently referring to the fact she herself was alien.

“So I am going to let you guys get acquainted.” Pepper said as she began to walk out of the room. She stopped and handed two keys to Kara. “Here are the keys for the small house I showed you on the way in. That is now yours and the route for the tunnels should be sound according to JARVIS, just please don’t deviate near the cliff. And keys to the front door to the mansion here. If you need anything you have my personal number or JARVIS can help you.”

A voice for the ceiling answered. “It will be my pleasure to assist you Ms. Stark.”

“Thanks Pepper… JARVIS” Kara said softly. Pepper waved happily and left.

Kara and Tony looked at each other for several minutes before he finally shook his head and told her to sit. “So I guess we should get to know each other.” Kara shifted back into the Stark persona gave him a nervous nod.


	3. Chapter 2:  Thor’s Coronation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara goes to Asgard, What a mess!

SoA Part 1   
By Sirya Black  
Chapter 2: Thor’s Coronation

Evening of May 25th 2011  
Kara and Tony had worked out a good system between themselves to split their work both professionally as Starks and superheroes. Tony had allowed her to connect Brainiac to his satellite uplinks in exchange for using the system as a backup of all his data in his personal server, including a back-up of JARVIS. Kara had also added his bio-signature to her system. Without a complete bio-identification, her computer wouldn’t be accessible, even if someone tried to access it via JARVIS. Only the two of them could access the system although it was too cold for Tony to actually go to the underground Fortress itself regularly. Kara also liked the idea of having someplace that was hers alone, a piece of Krypton. Tony called it the Embassy. Kara called it the Fortress since it was harder to access than an fortress on Earth.

Their division of tasks was simple. Tony was an inventor. Kara was not. She could however take his initial designs and make them workable and then convert the information into plans for the R and D division of Stark Industries. Tony often would take one of her working designs and tinker with it before giving it final approval to write up and send into SI. So for most of the grunt work involving Tony’s ideas for new Stark Tech was done by Kara, and the inventive parts were Tony’s. JARVIS was a a great teacher when it came to the programing for some of the tech and now a year later Kara was beginning to understand how to code though JARVIS often made the programs run smoother and worked out the bugs of what Kara started. Their system worked and SI was developing tech faster than any other company on the planet.

Tony was enjoying getting to spend more time doing the things he liked to do in his lab, which was mainly working on his Iron Man suits. While Kara did the actual fleshing out of his designs, including helping with some of his ideas for the Iron Man Suits, though that was rare. To ensure they didn’t get on each other’s nerves they had separate labs and messaged each other the schematics and ideas as often as needed. Although they both knew they could walk in and talk out issues with a project anytime they needed, or to brainstorm. They tried to do a meeting at least once a week to keep on the same page, though it was often daily over coffee when Kara would bring Tony his morning cup, even if he’d been up all night the night before working.

Tony was finding the arrangement to his liking, much to his surprise considering how much he normally hated being around peopel. He’d never had a lab assistant before for a reason, most people couldn’t keep up. Thanks to this arrangement he had a lot more free time and someone who while she was not always up to speed on everything he knew (especially on pop cultural references) could keep up with the science of his Tech.

He could dump development of his ideas for Stark products onto Kara but stay involved, and he had time to develop more improvements to his Iron Man suits and bounce ideas off her when he got stuck. It was a complete win in his books. Plus she got his sense of humor, and since she was so young looking (not to mention looked enough like himself), he wasn’t sexually attracted to her. Not to say she wasn’t easy on the eyes, but with the glamor she really looked like she could be his daughter so the idea was disturbing on a very basic level.

Their work arrangement also allowed her to take off at a moment’s notice to go and help out with any major disasters, and not be missed. They had stock footage of her working in the lab at the mansion that JARVIS could use if they ever needed to alibi her. Iron Man would often help Supergirl out if it was nearby or in the US, but if it was in Africa, or Asia, he couldn’t get there in time to be of help, he’d stay home.

After a few months the relationship between Iron Man and Supergirl began to become a bit of a headache in the form of Nick Fury. SHIELD had been asking Tony how to get in touch with her and Tony had stonewalled Fury so far. Fury knew they were friends by now but the information on her was blocked behind the Brainiac firewall built into JARVIS and even SHIELD was powerless to access that without understanding Kryptonian and a biometric key.

If Fury was watching the house closely he would still fail to notice Kara’s entrances and exits from the property since she had built a tunnel that came out in a natural cave system fifteen miles down the coast and was mostly underwater. She had built the tunnel under the mansion and lined it with Kryptonian mining crystals. They acted as reinforcing struts to stabilize the tunnel and were stronger than metal beams.

She often flew north before doubling back too fast for satellites to trace, and under radar abilities to track when she returned home after an adventure. Even if Fury had hacked JARVIS he didn’t have the biometric ‘key’ to get into the private server information that held everything on Kara. When they tried they got an error stating that the information didn’t exist.

Their situation had been stable for just over four months, until mid-April. That’s when Tony had begun to act strange. He had officially handed the company CEO position over to Pepper and he had taken a vacation in Monaco that had been interrupted by someone using similar arc technology to Tony’s. He had also had her double checking permutation of several elements.

Kara was pretty sure she had an idea of what was going on, but with SHIELD around so much she’d moved her work back to the Fortress to avoid them. She’d missed Stark’s birthday party, and the fallout surrounding it. Pepper had suggested she stay where she was until further notice. She warned Kara that SHIELD was all over Tony, and they had a spy within the company watching them, likely looking for ways to contact Supergirl and of course to keep an eye on Tony.

So the invite to Asgard for Thor coronation was well timed. She’d arrived the night before via the pathway near the Fortress. It had taken a few hours to gather excess magical energy from the Ley Lines in England to prepare for the trip. It was easier when Loki could open the pathways for her, or the pathways were always open. The ones to and from Midgard always required a ‘key’. She could have used the Bifröst but that was very eye catching and not really necessary.

She had told no one she’d arrived, instead landing directly on the balcony to her suite in the Royal Wing. It had been evening and the pre-coronation festivities were already underway. The warriors would be well into their cups by that time so she could be excused from attending this night. She went to bed with the sounds of the celebrations on the night wind, and rose to the quiet of the Asgardian sunrise.

This morning was to be the final proclamations and final sitting before the court under Odin Borson as Allfather. She would be expected to attend as her role of ‘Royal Ward’ required her to attend to the Queen. Her ceremonial armor used for these occasions was more elaborate and required The House of El coat of arms to not be as large on her chest so it sat near the top of her chest plate no bigger than the palm of her hand. Her symbol was missing entirely from her cape, it was much longer than the one she wore on Earth and brushed the back of her ankles. Today she would also be required to be in her own image and not her preferred dark haired glamor.

She wore her hair in a braid with the hair from her crown to her nape hanging loose. The half up style makes it so her hair would not be in her face for the day. It was also an acceptable way for her to wear her hair and did not require an hour in front of the mirror with a hairstylist.

Her mother’s maid was waiting for her as she stepped out of her rooms to head towards the main hall for the morning breakfast. She never knew for certain how but her mother always knew when Kara had arrived, even if she was stealthy about it. Heimdall usually looked outward, not inward to Asgard unless someone called to him. Though it wouldn’t surprise her if he did scan for her since she was expected.

“Hello Princess,” She greeted Kara as she bowed her head. “The Queen wishes you to stop by her rooms before going in the public halls.”

“Thank you. I’ll attend her directly.” Kara replied softly to the maid. She gave Kara a friendly shy smile in return and quickly left to see to her other errands, as today was going to be very busy for all the palace, the maid likely had several duties to attend to.

Kara walked over to her mother’s receiving room down a different hallway and was announced by the guards. “Hello Mother.” She greeted her with a kiss on her cheek. Frigga’s smile was bright but subtle. “My dearest daughter. Please come and sit.” She turned to one of her handmaidens. “Please bring the wooden box on my desk.”

The maid nodded respectfully. “Of course, Allmother.” 

Kara watched her mother. When Frigga was excited her fingers often twitched as if she was still weaving at her loom. Most people never understood when the Queen was fidgeting like this meant something large was ‘looming’. Most believed the twitch was because she spent too much time at her loom. Kara knew it for what it was. Something was going to happen today, and her mother was tampering a little with her ‘Sight’ to see the best outcome possible.

The attendant came back with what Kara recognized as a box that would hold a small crown in it. “No Mother.” Kara protested. “I’ll look ridiculous with a crown and my armor.” Like the warrior Sif, Kara was known to wear armor always and had never really worn the circlet of a princess once she had earned the right to wear armor in court by completing her warrior trials at fifteen.

Frigga gave her an exasperated frown and pointed to a low chair used for allowing the attendants to see to Frigga’s hair. “Sit.” She ordered with a playful glare. Kara sat reluctantly and pouted a little just to see her mother’s exasperated smirk. 

Frigga usually allowed her jeweled hair pins to be the only adornment she wore in her beautiful mane of waist length hair. Her regal bearing being the only mark of Royalty she required, and everyone respected it. Today however was meant to be her last day as Queen of Asgard so even she had a crown on her head. It was a solid band about two inches thick with large diamonds and beautiful engraved runes on it proclaiming her Queen.

Frigga reached into the box and Kara was surprised to see a simple cornet of thin golden bands that were shaped into interweaving knots. It looked very much like the cornet worn by the Elvin Queen in the Lord of the Rings movie. Kara loved it. It was simple and would not look completely ridiculous with the armor. Frigga smiled knowingly as she placed the circlet on her head, lifting the single braid and placing the fastening chain underneath. She added some jeweled pins to her braid while Kara rolled her eyes. It could have been much worse she reminded herself.

“There now you look like a Warrior Princess of Asgard.” Frigga smiled, her eyes sparkling with barely repressed tears.

“I swear if Tony starts calling me Xena I am going to make you pay Mother.” Kara teased her with playful growl to her voice. Frigga always enjoyed Kara’s stories about the entertainment on Midgard. She had told her mother all about the TV shows about Hercules, and Xena. Frigga had found them delightful. The maids gasped in the background at the daring of threatening the Queen, but when Frigga laughed they just threw sour looks her way. 

Some things never changed, and the lack of acceptance that Kara received from the ladies of the court was of no surprise to her. Even with the Norns decree, the court of Asgard didn’t like her mortality and treated her as inferior for it. Today was likely the last day she’d be called princess since she doubted Thor would continue to allow it. So she was willing to let her mother make a spectacle of her this one last time.

“If he does then you have my permission to retaliate.” She jested in return, knowing Kara wasn’t serious and that Tony was not likely to know about her attire and crown.

She urged Kara to stand with her hands. “Let’s head to breakfast.” She suggested happily, hugging Kara tightly. “You will sit next to me and you will tell me all about the past few months. I have missed you so. Letters are not enough. Although I do thank you for the pictures.” She told her with a warmth that always made Kara feel loved.

They had a wonderful and mostly quiet meal as they dined in the private royal dining hall. Thor, Loki and Odin were absent. Likely they had slept in a little longer this morning after such a late feast the night before. They would have been expected to stay late at the feast while Frigga would have been excused so she could see to this morning’s arrangements.

They both retired to the Queen’s weaving room until it was time for the final court. Frigga insisted that Kara join the procession and Odin had even given Kara the smallest of smiles when he had nodded in acceptance to her armor and crown. 

Thor had looked her over and ignored her beyond a nod of greeting, while Loki had winked his encouragement, easily seeing that she was a little nervous at being put on display for the whole court. It was rare that Kara was included. 

Once the court was present Odin walked into the room with Frigga on his arms from the side private royal entrance. Thor followed and then Loki before Kara followed behind him. When they approached the throne where Odin had already seated himself, Thor saluted before moving to stand at Odin’s right. Loki followed and gave the salute from a knee and moved to stand at Thor’s right. Kara gave the salute to both Odin and Frigga, and the nod from her knee. When she stood she began to move to Frigga’s left but Odin waved her to stand next to Loki. Kara’s eyes flickered to Loki who gestured very subtlety to come to him. Kara quickly moved to stand with them and turned to face the court.

“I hereby present the Royal Family of Asgard.” Odin’s voice boomed. “Your Queen Frigga, Prince Thor, Prince Loki and Our Queen’s Ward, Princess Kara.” There was a loud cry of support from the crowd. Kara was surprised by Odin’s reminder to the court of her status. It seemed a waste of time to her for a single day.

As if to reassure her that Thor thought her worthless he whispered to Loki sulkily. “Why would he say anything about her today?” The way he whispered his question betrayed a lack of understanding rather than malice, but it still stung.

Loki turned his head slight to glare at Thor, “Because he is reassuring the masses that Kara will remain a Royal Ward as decreed by the Norns.” He hissed back.

Thor’s face scrunched up in confusion. “That is my decision once I am king.” He sniffed arrogantly.

Loki sighed in exasperation. “Thor, even as King, you cannot go against the Norns.” He reminded him with a heavy emphasization. “She will remain a Royal Ward under Mother’s protection, unless of course you plan to remove Mother as Dowager Queen.” He hissed harshly.

Thor lowered his head slightly and shook it minutely. Kara hadn’t thought of that either. By human standards she was an adult by age, but also a minor on both Earth and Asgard due to her developmental maturity level so her status was a constant point of contention for Pepper and Frigga. Pepper got around it by ‘officially’ making Kara still a minor with emancipation. Asgard did not have such a status. Either a woman was a ward of her family or her husband. Even Sif as an unmarried woman was a ward of her father though he never tried to curb her warrior ways.

So on the one hand, she was over the age of eighteen and legally an adult on Earth, though only a handful knew this. By those same standards she had over a thousand years to go before being considered an adult in Asgard. Developmentally she was sixteen, (or almost a thousand years old by Asgard’s determination) meaning she could be betrothed to anyone Frigga deemed acceptable. Not that she would do so without Kara’s agreement since she respected Kara’s unique position.

As far as Kara knew only the Queen and Loki was aware of Kara’s regression and lack of aging. Loki was the one who had figured it out first during their stints of exploration on Midgard. He had been used to seeing signs of her aging and in the two years they had periodically travelled around Midgard he’s seen up close the lack of age and asked her about it. Their research was a bit of a revelation and Kara was worried what Odin would do if he knew so she’d ask for him not to be told. It had been three years now since Loki has first suspected it, and she still had issues wrapping her head around the idea she was immortal now if she so chose.

Being a Royal Ward was a privilege she had expected to lose when Thor ascended the Throne. Loki just gave her a smirk of support and a roll of his eyes when he was sure Thor wasn’t watching him any longer. Kara had given him a small lift of one of her lips before she looked down at her feet. She hated being put on display like this.

The rest of the morning was a procession of the Foreign rulers of the Nine (but only the Vanir, Ljósálfar, Fire Giants, and Dwarves were present since Midgard, Jötunheim, Nidavellir, and Svartalfheim all didn’t have delegations) gave final gifts and promises of a transition of alliance to Odin’s successor and his continuing House. Everyone knew of course this was Thor, but as the traditions required no mention was made of Thor’s rise tomorrow as King. Thor would have to be chosen by a Thing this evening, but as Odin was overseeing it and had already made his choice clear, it was only a formality. 

Loki could challenge Thor to a fight to the death for the throne but that wasn’t likely as that type of fight was so heavily regulated Loki would basically be bound and blind by the rules due to the bias against seiðr. It was also unlikely because Loki truly did love his brother even if quietly he had doubts about Thor ability to rule. He loved him too much to wish him dead, even if Asgard was at stake. He would not betray Thor in such a way.

Court was boring and Loki kept making comments to Thor about the importance of certain people as they were coming up so Thor could greet each properly with Loki and Kara. She was grateful for his insight as well so she didn’t not make any mistakes, and proud of his knowledge. With the way he phrased his advice Thor could not take offence by Loki’s greater knowledge since he stated his advice as if it was Kara he was advising. She knew this was not the case because Loki was aware he could have made his suggestions much quieter and she would have still heard him.

Once the formalities were over the Court was adjourned and Odin made his exit with Frigga through the private doors followed by Thor whom looked bored and annoyed. Loki presented his hand to Kara with a knowing smirk and ‘escorted’ her out of the room slowly as they would hopefully miss Thor’s whining about court. When they came through the door they could hear Thor and Odin talking in the private study just past the archway towards the audience rooms for councils.

“I don’t understand the need for her to be involved tomorrow.” Thor’s voice reaches them from the next room. Loki pulled her back so they wouldn’t be seen. “She is not a member of our family,” His voice sounding curious and pouty. She knew Thor did not mind her keeping Mother company, but resented her being thrust into every family event as an actual family member rather than an outsider that he saw her as.

“You would do well to consider that she well could be. The Norns are not to be ignored.” Odin’s voice warned him. “She is a very powerful being in her own right; it is not wise to court her ire.”

“Not to mention I would consider it a personal insult if you continued to pursue this line of questioning.” Frigga added dryly, disapproval dripping from her icy tone. It was easy for Loki and Kara to imagine the disapproving glare their mother was sending Thor.

“I mean no offense mother, but including her is making others question her status in the line of succession.” Thor told them with a hint of his temper coloring his voice. He hated when Mother spoke down to him but he’d never yell at her or be disrespectful, especially when Odin was present.

“The only way she becomes a member of the court once she is of age is if she marries into it.” Odin reminded him harshly. “A Ward is not a title she can hold forever.”

“She will be old and dead before she comes of age.” Thor muttered in exasperation.

“Don’t be a fool.” Odin’s voice boomed out angrily. “She is no more mortal than you or I. You’ve been made aware of this before.”

Thor had scoffed but Frigga’s voice cut in as Kara’s eyes widen as she looked to Loki for confirmation that Odin knew. Loki’s eyes were closed and he had a pained look that confirmed Odin had found out. Why had no one told her?

“She has stopped aging and that makes her eligible to be arranged for.” Odin had continued. “That arrangement needs to have her approval and be in Asgard’s best interest.”

“Who would want her at this point?” Thor scoffed. “She is still an infant.”

Kara tried to run back out the door but Loki kept her pinned to his side. It took all his strength since Kara was actually pulling away. He kept her beside him and took her into a hug, cradling her face into his chest.

Frigga’s voice was furious as she defended Kara. “She is no more an infant than any other of just under a thousand years.”

Odin’s voice also cut into Thor’s sputtering from the surprise of the verbal slap his mother had delivered. “While she might be young in years, her maturity is the equivalency of a betrothal age. Kryptonians age as mortals and then their aging decreases as they get older if they so choose. Kara has chosen to remain as she is.”

“Fine, I’ll arrange her and be done with this.” Thor spat out, defensive now that both were ganging up on him. “I don’t understand why the Norns are so insistent we keep her.”

“Only one who has survived Ragnarök can stop it from happening again.” Frigga’s voice cut in coldly. Loki and Kara both stiffened from the sound of her voice. That voice was pained, as if she was paying a price for saying the words. As was often the case, seers had to pay a price if they reviled what they saw. It was why her mother rarely said anything directly about what she had seen, instead weaving scenes of things to come, or making suggestions such as telling Odin when it was best to go on diplomatic missions himself, and when to send an envoy. Odin rarely went against this advice.

“Do not anger her, my son.” Odin reminded Thor with disapproval in his own voice. “If she is powerful enough to stop Ragnarök, she is powerful enough to enhance it if you provoke her enough. It has not gone unnoticed how you resent her presence. My showing of her as a member of the family was to help quell those rumors that would have our house betray the Norns trust by refusing her now that you are to become King.”

“So what would you have happen?” Thor snarled truly getting angry at this point. He was to be king tomorrow and his parents were lecturing him on how to conduct his own House. “I will not consider her for a wife.”

“Nor would she consider you.” Frigga laughed genuinely amused by the idea.

“I had thought to arrange her with Loki at one time, but I am unsure if they would welcome that any more than you.” Odin said much calmer.

Kara looked at Loki in surprise. While Kara had known it was one of many (but extremely unlikely) possible considerations she had never thought that Odin would want the two together. Loki likely knew the same. He didn’t let go of her but he placed a finger to her lips and slowly shifted them away. When Kara looked around they were in his sitting rooms.

Loki had released her and walked over to the fireplace, lighting it with his magic and staring into the flames.

“Did you know that Odin was considering a match?” Kara whispered hoarsely.

Loki only nodded slowly. “I had not thought him serious when he mentioned it a year ago after a meeting in which a councilman had asked now that you were on Midgard if we would ever have to consider an arrangement.” He explained quietly, still not looking at her, but his face twisted slightly with bitterness. “It was not a serious inquiry, just a quick question of if it would be feasible if you were now immortal to marry into the Royal family which prince it would be you would consider. Father suggested you and I, since you and Thor were so often at odds. The other had seemed amused. Nothing more was said afterwards.” He admitted somewhat surprised himself at the seriousness in which Odin seemed to have thought on the matter. 

He had been even more surprised at the time that the matter had come up in the meeting with him present as it had not been discussed with either him or Kara first. Not even behind closed doors. 

Now what had really shook him to his core was the attachment of a prophetic statement to Kara’s arrival thirteen years ago. It certainly explained why Odin had not made a fuss about Kara being made a ward of his house at the time. He knew Odin was not likely to discuss prophetic statements with him since we was only a second son and not the chosen successor. He had thought that his parents would have at least spoken to him if they had been considering making an arrangement for him and Kara. It had been a shock that it had even been discussed since he had been under the impression that he and Thor would be given free rein to choose their own wives. He also hadn’t until that moment considered that Kara had reached the age of betrothal.

“I thought he didn’t know. That’s why I was allowed to go on my way.” She admitted softly as she stared at her feet. Suddenly the crown on her head felt like it weighed as heavy as a mountain.

“I don’t think he knew any more than we did when you first went to Midgard. It was when he saw the pictures of us I had brought back for mother. He must have noticed that the later picture you were younger in them, or at least no older than before.” He admitted softly. “To our eyes little changes over tiny periods of time seem drastic.”

“I never understood how you could see it; I didn’t look that much younger, do I?” She was genuinely puzzled by the phenomenon. She looked up, her eyes begging for an explanation.

“You do to us.” Loki confirmed for her with a kind smile he always adapted when he was explaining something that was troubling her when he looked up from the fireplace. “We notice little changes much easier than mortals do because it usually takes centuries for those changes to happen to us. You haven’t been alive long enough to see it yet. Any changes are slow. To us your aging was like seeing your life in a fast forwarded movie. Then suddenly the last year was reversed instead of continuing forward, and finally it paused, like the rest of us.”

Kara looked down at her boots intently as she sat down heavily on the chair furthest away from the fireplace. She was unsure what to think. It was common for royal foster children to be raised in the court of their intended. Kara had never truly been given that sense of impending arrangement and she wasn’t sure how Loki felt about it. “You never said anything about Odin wanting to arrange us…”

“What was I supposed to say Kara?” Loki asked with a touch of annoyance as he looked at her with his eyes blazing with an intensity she didn’t understand. “I have been overlooked as King because Thor is a much better candidate,” Loki all but sneered with contempt, “but Odin wishes us to marry so you don’t marry any of Asgard’s enemies?” He snorted without mirth, “Because he’s afraid of what you and your children might become if you become disenchanted with Asgard? But at the same time, I having such children, they would also be as much a threat to Thor and his children? Which is the greater threat? You and someone not of Asgard, or me, the second prince?”

Kara stared back down at her hands, not able to hold his gaze. “Is that the only reason?” She asked him quietly. “Thor is right? It’s not like anyone would ever really want me unless it’s for my powers. No one would ever want to be with me because I’m so different.” The rug and her feet became indistinct blurs as tears collected in her eyes. “I’m just the girl that belongs nowhere because the Norns need her for something.” She whispered fearfully.

She heard him move across the room and pull her tight against him once more. “Little one, there is nothing wrong with you.” He whispered reassuringly into her ear. He cursed himself for letting his anger be aimed at her. “The failure is Asgard’s. You are too good for this Realm.” He rubbed her back soothingly.

He mentally shook his head to clear the angry thoughts. It was not her fault that Odin was interfering in his life, or that he didn’t find him as worthy as Thor to rule the kingdom. Knowing that Odin intended for Loki to marry Kara meant he had no intention of marrying Loki so he could rule one of the other Nine Realms either. The implications that Odin might not want him to father any children that could threaten Thor left him feeling completely adrift and without purpose. That hurt his pride more than the idea of Kara as a wife. He still needed to remind himself she was no longer a ‘teenaged’ child when she was out of his sight. Now, with her curves pressed against him he did remember his ‘Little One’ was no longer so little. It was still such a shock somedays to see her womanly form, but it was less of a shock each time he saw her.

They stayed that way for several minutes while Kara silently cried her tears that she couldn’t hold in. “Am I always going to be just a pawn?” She whispered in a broken voice. It was a huge fear, being forced to do things for the sake of others. Expectations of this rank she had never asked for or wanted.

Loki stiffened with remorse. It hurt to hear her so lost. It always had. When he had first met her she had reminded him too much of himself centuries ago before the bitterness had started to settle within him. Looking for acceptance and finding none but with mother. His bitterness was something he fought to keep Kara from seeing, and from experiencing for herself. He didn’t want her to become any more like him. She was already starting down his road and he wanted to turn her from it. He knew he was cold to most others and he knew he was not trusted because of how different he was. Kara was strangely enough a mix of Thor’s strength and Loki’s intelligence. Ironically she would be the perfect Queen of Asgard, if the people would just accept her.

“No, you’ll always be my princess.” He lifted her chin up so she could see his smile. It was meant to be warm and comforting, but Kara saw a bit a fire there too. Like his temper was barely in check. “Thor be damned, he is the worst type of fool and Asgard deserves him.”

Kara ducked her head back down under his chin and against his chest as she hugged him back. It was comforting to be this close to someone and being able to hold them without fear of hurting them. So often she wished she could give Tony, or even Pepper a hug with emotion behind it, but she feared the damage she could do with her strength.

“He deserves to be their king,” Loki continued, his whispers filled with emotions, both sad and angry, “and once I am sure he will not burn Asgard to the ground I will come to you and we will begin our journey of exploring the Realms and beyond together as I promised you once when you were a child.” He assured her, reminding her of planned adventures they had spoken of.

“I’ll always wait for you to come with me Loki. I’d never want to explore the galaxy without you.” Kara sighed contently. Loki wanted her in his life. Being wanted was enough. Midgard wanted her, Loki and mother loved her for who she was, not what she was. So did Pepper and Tony. It was enough.

They sat for a few minutes lost in their thoughts before Loki remembered a book he’d gotten for her. “I found that history book I told you about last year, about the known celestials.” He told her as he made the book appear in his hand.

Kara squealed with enthusiasm. “Oh gimme!” She’s chuckled as she wiped her eyes free of left over salty tear streaks. She then made grabby hands when he didn’t hand over the book right away. He placed it regally in her hands and kissed her temple as she hugged the book to her before opening it contently. This was why she loved Loki. He always seemed to understand her and accept her.

They managed to not be summoned until two hours before the evening feast by staying out of sight and hiding in his room reading together on the couch by the fire. Mother had called for Kara, and Thor called for Loki so he could accompany him to the Thing. Knowing Loki would be required to be by Thor’s side for most of the night Kara went to make herself available to Frigga, and stick close to her for the evening. She had her maid bring the dress Pepper had commissioned for the evening.

Her mother was more than happy to have Kara’s company. The visiting female delegates of the foreign courts as well as the higher ranked Asgardian ladies were in the Queen’s formal audience room, which was basically a large round room where Mother had her female guest’s attention while the men proceeded with business at the Thing.

“Where were you after court Kara?” Frigga has asked once she was seated beside her in the room. Several of the other women looked on with semi-interest. She was the only woman in the room dressed in armor. All the others were in varies types of formal afternoon dresses, while some were already dressed for the evening feast. 

“Loki and I had some things to discuss, plans and things for after Thor is settled into his reign.” She explained while picking up the small glass of ale that had been placed before her by a servant.

Her mother looked pleased but also a touch concerned. The other ladies all suddenly found their conversation of much interest. “I wasn’t aware he was thinking of leaving Asgard for Midgard so soon.” The foreign courts were more open and accepting of Kara. They seemed genuinely interested in her words. The Asgardian woman seemed much more dismissive of both Loki and Kara, but still gossip was always of interest.

Kara just gave a polite smile due to the company. “Not right away. He’ll wait until Thor is settled before leaving to tour. With Odin and you still here to be advisors for Thor, Loki will not be needed as much as of yet. Loki and I wish to explore what we can of the Realms and beyond while we can. It will be nice to have company on Midgard too.”

Frigga seemed happy by her statements but she did not seem all that eager to clue Kara in about the possibility of matching her and Loki. That could be because of the amount of listening ears. 

The conversation in the room seemed to be speculation on whom Thor was likely to choose as a Queen once it was confirmed he would be King in an hour’s time. Kara had resisted rolling her eyes and just tried to tuned out the talk. Sif seemed the most likely choice but the Asgardian woman had placed high hopes on a few of the higher Noble’s daughters. 

Kara did her best to be polite and respectful to everyone until it was time to ready for the feast. She heard a few of the foreign delegate’s speculating quietly in the corner on Loki’s prospects outside of Asgard now that Thor going to be King and was likely to choose Sif to be Queen. It seemed that despite Loki’s concerns, if he truly wanted to be a king he had a possible chance if he married into the Royal family of Vanir. The only problem with this was Frigga’s sister was the Vanir queen making Loki and any of the princesses were cousins, and it was frowned upon for them to marry, as it would be on Midgard. It could be argued that Loki was in line for that throne as well through Frigga by a Thing. That kind of decision was a long time off, possible even a millennia or two as the current King was closer to Frigga’s age of thirty-five hundred than Odin’s near five and a half thousand.

When it was time to start getting ready one of the maids came over and fixed Kara’s hair. She expertly coifed it into a traditional braided twist and added a few more jeweled clips to keep her hair and circlet in place for the evening. She let the voices of the others leaving wash over her as she let the girl work. Once the others were gone Kara and her mother moved to her rooms so they could get changed into their dresses. Kara was done first since her dress was a Midgardian design, much easier to step into the form fitting bodice with its hidden zippers. She sat and replaced her boots with her greek-style golden sandals and waited for her mother to reemerge in her own evening gown.

Since she was required to wear a dress to the evening festivities and she had found a daring V shaped neckline, backless cobalt blue flowing ball gown with golden embellishments along the waist and outlining the edging of the bodice. 

Frigga was covered from throat to ankle in a gold traditional dress with a heavy white fur drape over her right shoulder. When she saw Kara’s dress her composure slipped slightly as she took in the dress Kara was barely wearing. She stared open mouthed. 

She cleared her throat determinly. “Turn.” She ordered.

Kara spun slowly and the light layers of fabric swirled around her, showing multi layers a semi-transparent fabric float before settling as she stopped moving.

“Are you trying to attract some attention for yourself my dearest?” Her mother asked once she composed herself. While the cut was daring it didn’t quite reach scandalous since she could see the dress was very strategically fastened and tight in the right places to keep it in place.

Kara shrugged with narrowed eyes. “I am sure you will tell me if there is someone you wish to arrange me with.” She replied with a deceptively innocent, sweet voice. Her eyes where they only sign of her annoyance with her mother on the subject.

Frigga signed to the ladies to follow at a distance as she linked her arm with Kara’s and they walked towards the hall. Frigga did not want the others to hear their conversation. “Loki told you.” She surmised very quietly, so quiet no one could hear her. She didn’t seem upset, more resigned to having the conversation right at this moment.

Kara raised her brow. “Actually we heard you, Odin and Thor discussing it this afternoon.” She whispered back and gave her mother a disappointed look. “Did you actually forget Loki and I were coming up behind you?”

Frigga’s expression didn’t alter which made Kara wonder if Frigga had wanted her to hear those words. “Would it really be so bad,” She asked with a hint of concern, “being arranged with Loki?”

Kara missed a step but managed to not make it seem so by raising her feet and allowing Frigga to pull her along beside her. “You truly wish for Loki and I…”

Frigga gave her a small knowing smile and nodded softly. “Kara an immortal marriage is for a very long time and quite different from those of mortals and Kryptonians, both whom marry for love.” She explained patiently. “Even then the best marriages are those of couples who are friends first. Lovers burn bright; and bards sing of their stories, true. They also sing of the tragic ends to those relationships.” She looked sadly in the distance. “Those types of affairs often end in tears.”

“You can’t see Loki or my future.” Kara’s whisper carried her annoyance. They were trying to plot her life. Her words rang with her disapproval at the high-handed way it had been discussed behind her back. “You have no idea if we are suitable for one another in the long run.”

Frigga squeezed Kara’s arm supportively. “In that aspect I am like all other parents, looking for signs of friendship and caring.” She smiled encouragingly. “Loki and you share such a strong and powerful connection. I have seen no such connection before between Loki and another, nor from you to anyone else.”

Kara shook her head and looked angry as she stared forward. “I am a sister and an infant; just twenty years alive.” She mimicked Thor’s tone of disgust from that afternoon. She managed to put her feet back down and match steps with the queen again.

Frigga sighed with sadness and looked disappointed. “It will take time for that perception to change, but not as much as you think.” She assured her. “Especially with that dress.” She added slyly. Kara’s cheek flushed with a light blush. 

“Your age never had time to cement in our minds the way it would had you grown as we do.” She reminded Kara gently. “A decade is no time at all to us. A century or more; it might have been harder to shake the image of a child. There is a much larger age gap between Odin and myself, if you’d care to remember dearest daughter.” She reminded her affectionately.

“Odin didn’t know you as you grew.” Kara objected tenaciously.

“He did, just in passing mostly.” Frigga told her confidently. “But yes we did know each other when I was a child. He was a full grown Æsir when he attended my first celebrations after the war between Asgard and Vanir.”

Kara brow raised in surprise. She hadn’t known that, the topic had never come up before between them. “Any other reason you wish for me to consider Loki?”

Frigga shook her head with a knowing look. “I do not.” She emphasized that sharply. Kara was well aware of how little Frigga thought of Odin trying to force any of them into relationships they would resent. She bitterly opposed Odin’s push for Sif and Thor to marry knowing that while Sif would not object, Thor did not see the warrior woman as anything but a brother-in-arms. While the friendship bond between them was strong, Asgard also required a queen that knew how to be more than a warrior, especially with Thor as a partner. Odin only cared about strength, expecting Thor to use his council and advise to gain experience as he grew in wisdom he would need to rule well.

“Odin however does.” Kara glared forward as she waited for confirmation that Odin was likely to interfere with her life if he could.

“Odin would see the Realm secured.” Frigga commented softly, it wasn’t a direct confirmation but it was as close as Kara was likely to get. “He is in his twilight years, as King he needs to see the Realms stabilized so Thor does not start his reign as he did, staring down War at every turn.”

Kara snorted and gave her mother a looked that spoke of her contempt for Thor’s ability to lead. “It is more likely Thor will start a war if one isn’t presented to him just so he will not be bored with court affairs.”

Frigga looked concerned for half a second before her face smoothed. “All the more reason to go through with the coronation, while the Odin is still strong enough to advise him afterwards.”

Kara rolled her eyes at that logic. “Once he is king Thor will not listen any better than he does now. The only difference is Odin will no longer have the power to override his boneheaded mistakes and blunders.”

“Is that Loki’s voice I hear coming from you my daughter?” She asked trying to soften the tone of the conversation.

Kara glared at her mother. “Just because I agree that we see a different Thor than you we are wrong?” She tried to shake away her resentment at being spoken to as if she didn’t have her own opinion. “We also both believe we see him for who he truly is. That does not make my opinion any less valid for agreeing with Loki.”

Frigga looked at her proudly and smiled as if she had won the argument. “And you wonder why I believe you and Loki are a good match.”

Kara wanted to throw up her hands and wash them of the whole situation. Thor becoming King was a disaster waiting to happen. “This is idiotic. He is a warmongering fool and he is going to start a war within a month. Nothing Odin says will make a difference once Thor has the crown on his head.” She hissed angrily but still quietly so the trailing ladies of the court would not hear their conversation. “I will not aid him in an unjust endeavor.” She warned gravely.

Frigga looked slightly alarmed by Kara’s statement. “Surely your sisterly bond would not allow you to forswear Asgard in her time of need.” Kara felt the weight of the prophetical words that she’d overheard that afternoon settle on her shoulders. It felt heavier than the crown on her brow had, instead of a mountain it felt like all of Asgard itself settling on her.

Kara laughed with distain and some anger. “In her time of need?” She snapped at her still at a near whisper. “A war for the sake of war is not a time of need.”

Frigga’s face fell further. “I had hoped I could count on you to help him.”

Kara raised one brow. “And you expect him to listen to me? I’m just the upstart commoner he is force to eat with occasionally. I am not his sister and certainly not an advisor!”

They had reached the hall. Kara turned to her and gave her a pitying look and leaned in so she could get one last word in as the others came closer. “Watch with open eyes and not the eyes of a mother this evening. You will see his contempt for everyone, even his ‘friends’ when they do not agree with him. Watch how all are afraid of him in a temper and tell me again how he is ready to be king.” She turned back to the hall as they entered together. Frigga looked concerned and it caught the attention of Odin who in turn looked at her with questions.

During the feast Odin tried to engage Frigga to get answers but she would not answer as she watched Thor throughout the night. Thor was in fine form, The Thing had already occurred while the Ladies were in the salon after she had left Loki’s rooms.

True to form Thor was ‘holding court’. Retelling tales, greatly embellished and disparaging of all others except himself and his closest friends. Even Loki’s accomplishments and true actions were glossed over or dismissed as unworthy tricks to highlight the greatness that was Thor.

At one point while Kara sat beside her mother she saw a very worried look cross her face as she stared at Thor. “Rather enlightening when you really look, isn’t it?” Kara whispered with a smirk as Frigga turned to her.

“And are you happy to be right?” Frigga asked her with discontentment.

Kara shook her head with remorse and concern. “No... and neither is Loki. We are not jealous or angry about the choice, as other would accuse us of being.” She returned her look with disappointment at her judgement of them. “We are concerned because we see Thor for who he truly is. He is truly a glory-seeking child still, though he is over thirteen hundred years of age. He will be the end of Asgard if he is left unchecked. With all my powers… and Loki standing with me as the most powerful seiðr master Asgard has seen in generations… Even together we cannot stand against Asgard alone if he gets out-of-hand and plunges the Realms into War for his own amusement.” She beseeched her mother for understanding.

Frigga shook her head. “He is not that thoughtless.” She stated louder and drew Odin’s attention.

Kara rolled her eyes. “I am tired and I will withdraw from the evening.” She rose slowly so as to not draw too much attention to the head table.

Several people noticed her. One was Fandral and he whistled drawing the attention of most of the table. “She is a vision in that dress. Who knew she would grow curves like that in just a few short years.” All the warriors turned to look at who Fandral was talking about and all of them had to agree, even Sif who scowled at her.

Their eyes turned to stare at her as she began to walk around the table to head for the main doors. There were several murmurs of agreement, making both Loki and Thor take noted with disapproving looks thrown at their friend, but for opposing reasons. Thor of course was annoyed they were not basking in his aura of glory, and Loki because they were staring at her in a way that made him uncomfortable. It was one thing for him to notice she was growing up, but they were grown warriors looking at her as if she was a possible conquest!

He quickly rose without saying a word to the others, and headed her off before she got to the doors. Everyone else in the room either took notice or they were openly staring at them as he approached her and took her arm in a courtly manner. 

“Leaving so soon Kara? The dancing hasn’t even started yet.” He smirked at her as he took her arm and began to lead her towards a balcony.

She gave him a strained smile and Loki was instantly on alert. “I do not think I should stay much longer. Mother and I have had words this evening, and I am close to losing my temper.” She confided.

Loki nodded and walked with her ushering her through the archway. “You know it will be noted if you leave too early.” He told her as he leaned down to speak in her ear. “Thor is in a good mood but Fandral has managed to draw attention away from 'his glorious golden moments' and he could quickly change.” Loki warned her as he brushed his hand against the small of her back. His actions suggested a private moment was needed to the others who were watching them. Most started to turn back to their mugs and horns of drink and food.

Kara took a second to look around the room and was surprised how many people were actually still watching her. She blushed and ducked around the heavy drapes that outlined the balcony archway to be out of sight of most of the hall. “This is supposed to be Thor’s night. What is so interesting about us?” She asked bewildered by the attention.

Loki laughed and ran his hand down her neck brushing a small loose lock of her hair behind her shoulder. “A few things I am sure.” He looked over her dress, his gaze taking a little longer than normal making Kara blush a little deeper. “This dress for example was much remarked upon and is likely the cause of most of the stares as we left the room.”

Kara bit her lip. “I've been spending too much time shopping with Pepper.” She said looking down at the plunging neckline. She realized looking down at her chest that Loki must have had a much better view than she had intended as he was so tall and her blush deepened and travelled down her neck. “Mother mentioned it too.”

Loki smirked but his cheeks were a touch pinker than normal as he moved her eyes back to her face after they had followed her blush as it trailed down. “For the rest I imagine people are wondering if I am upset by the official announcement that he will be king.”

Kara snorted in such an unladylike way Loki smiled genuinely at her. She turned from him and walked a few feet over to the railing and leaned against it with her arms spread to brace herself, looking out towards the Bifröst. The cold stone helped her steady herself. Now that the idea of them being together had been planted she found she liked the idea and it was playing with her emotions.

“You mean Sif and the others are looking for a chance to ridicule you for not being chosen so they can bask in Thor's approval.” She sighed with resentment on his behalf.

Loki walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders and rubbing her bare arms soothingly. “I don't care about the opinions of Sif, and I know Thor does not mean half of what he says when he is boosting.” He replied softly.

Fandral had started to follow them intent on seeing just how much the princess had grown and if a conquest was something he could consider in the future. He was shocked still when he went to go around the drapes only to find them in what looked to be an intimate moment. He had never known Loki to be demonstrative with anyone before, even as a child. If it had been any other man he would have charged forward, intent on seeing to his eventual conquest. Loki was a different story. He respected and was honestly a little afraid of Loki (Kara too when he was exceptional honest with himself). There was also the added complication of Loki being his friend. It had never been a concern before. Hogun, Volstagg and Sif never cared who he bedded, as long as the enraged husband, father and brothers were dealt with on his own. Loki had always cautioned him when he was trying for someone of high enough rank to warned said caution. If Thor had shown any interest in a conquest they had made a game of it to see who could bed the girl first. 

This was something that his head was screaming at him to back away from. Loki would not play games, not with Kara’s heart. He was not stupid enough to try.

He was about to back away when Thor came upon him. “Who has your attention this evening?” His voice boomed as he slapped Fandral on the shoulder loudly, nearly sending the unprepared warrior to his knees. Fandral stumbled pulled at the drapes.

Kara and Loki turned sharply. Loki had instinctively placed himself in front of Kara and raised a hand with his magic already faintly glowing green and gold on his hand with a long dagger in the other. Fandral and Thor stepped into the balcony and Thor was stunned to see Loki with Kara. From the looks on their faces they had been unaware of Fandral's proximity.

“Ah, here is where you went Brother!” Thor laughed boisterously. “Is it Kara's bedtime?” He looked at her with contempt. “A grown up dress does not hide the fact you are still a child 'little one'.” He said with a teasing laugh, as if he was speaking to little girl in her mother’s clothing.

Kara's eyes widen in mortification. Loki who had allowed his magic to subside glared at Thor. Fandral kept his mouth shut. If what he'd seen was any indication Loki was not seeing Kara as a 'little one' anymore. Loki's eyes reignited with his magic when he addressed Thor.

“You are a fool if you are unable to see she is no longer a child, as you were reminded just this morning were you not.” Loki's demeanor was cold. The air around them seemed to drop in temperature and Kara stepped to the side so she was not behind him, her fist tight by her waist. Fandral couldn't help looking and seeing her chest heaving as she tried to control her temper, which was slowly bleeding into her eyes making them red.

The sight always made the Warriors Three and Sif wary. Many of the older guard too. They said it was eerily like a Frost Giant except there was no iris or sclera and they lit with power. Having never seen a Frost Giant, except in pictures, the younger guard's took their word for it.

With both Loki and Kara lit up Fandral was all for retreating, but Thor was not likely to back down. It looked to him as if the fight Sif had been hoping for was likely to erupt right then, but Frigga came around the drapes and glared at Thor. This drew his attention as Odin had followed his queen.

“He was.” Frigga's voice carried her own frosty threat. “Do you continue to dishonor me my son?” She asked him directly. “Do you still think I cannot handle the affairs of my own ward?”

Thor pouted, his voice betraying just how deep into his cups he already was as he blinked a few times to focus on his mother. “I was only jesting.”

Frigga raised her brow arrogantly and even with her shorter stature managed to make it seem as if she was looking down on him. “I suggest you return to your guests Thor and leave Kara's concerns to myself.”

Thor finally took note of Loki's protective behavior. He dismissed it as usual. “Come my brother, we have much to celebrate. Leave the women to entertain each other.” He turned and walked away expecting Loki to just abandon Kara's side.

Loki was about to rebuke Thor but Kara grabbed his hand and shook her head when he turned to her. “It's not worth the temper tantrum.” She whispered to him. Everyone on the balcony hear her. Fandral closed his eyes and blanched at her words. Thor would need to be careful or that resentment that Sif always insisted was the basis of Loki’s actions would actual ignite, causing the brothers to actually fight.

Loki reluctantly bowed his head to Kara’s wisdom and followed after Thor. He caught Fandral arm as he passed dragging him along. They were halfway across the room before Fandral dared to speak. “I take it the princess is off-limits.” He said in his normal jesting voice, so Loki would not take offense and hopefully would calm before they rejoined Thor at their table.

“Unless you wish to tangle with the Allmother,” Loki said deceptively calm. His eyes however betrayed his own ire at the inquiry, warning Fandral that his interest was dangerous if he continued to pursue Kara.

Fandral lifted his hands in surrender. “I would never engage with anyone who does not wish my attentions.” Loki raised a questioning brow at that assertion. “Flirting is not an engagement of my interest; it's just my natural way of being charming.” He gave Loki a disarming smile. “I would never bed an unwilling partner.” He assured him.

Loki relaxed finally but his voice carried a hint of cold steel, like a dagger to the throat even as he smiled back, “As long as that is the only interactions you have with the princess than you and I shall remain as we are.” That warning was clear. Fandral gulped but nodded with his usual smile. Though for once it didn’t reach his eyes.

The rest of the evening was boring for Kara. After Thor's assertion that she was a child she had stayed for longer than she wished at her mother’s behest. She had danced with several of the nobles who were close to the queen, twice with Loki, and one forced dance with Thor. Odin made sure to dance close-by and cut in once the dance was over to take Kara around the floor once himself. Once those obligations were complete, Kara slipped out of the feasting hall onto the balcony and flew away to her rooms for the rest of the evening.

The morning was calm and Kara had been able to finish getting ready in her own rooms once her maid was put her hair up and helped to close the lacings on the Asgardian dress her mother had prepared for her. It was a light blue and deep gold dress. Eating quietly in her suite she had waited until almost the last minute, reading her new book before going to join her mother in the anti-chamber near the entrance of the main hall.

Her mother and met her with a kiss to her cheek. “There has been a minor change of plans.” Frigga told her with an exasperated sigh. Kara had just raise a brow and waited for her mother to continue.

“Odin has decided to be waiting at the altar already.” She explained. Kara had noted that her mother’s heartrate was a little high as she had entered the room. At first she dismissed it but as she spoke of Odin it had jumped higher.

“Loki will escort me down the aisle and Volstagg has agreed to escort you before rejoining his wife in the crowd.” Kara watched her carefully. “I figured he would be the best choice of the Warriors to escort you.” Her mother had continued as if Kara wasn’t watching her intently.

“is something wrong?” She asked her, concerned with her mother’s stress levels.

Her mother just sighed and shook her head. “Just a stressful day and I do not like last minutes changes.

Kara had smiled and nodded quietly. “I understand, and Volstagg will be a fine escort. Thank you.”

Frigga seemed to be looking into the distance even though she was actually looking at the closed door just in front of them. “I saw what you meant last night.” She admitted softly after a moment. Her eyes filled with concern. “Odin is undaunted and believes he will be able to mitigate any issues Thor causes. I believe Odin is right, Thor respects him too much to disobey him outright as of yet.”

Kara shrugged as if she didn’t care while in truth she was very concerned. It was too late to change their minds now. Loki had seemed less concerned so hopefully had gotten an oath or two from Thor not to be a complete ass today. She only hoped whatever happened that she would be enough to protect Midgard if it was needed.

Volstagg was as charming as always when he came to collect her. Of all Thor's friends she liked him most. He was always honest and treated her as her rank demanded. She might not care for rank but she did appreciate the respect he gave her. He had been indulgent of her questions as a child. She never forgot of all the warriors, he was the only one who spoke to her after the Sif incident without fear or scorn.

The ceremony seemed to be going off without a hitch with the exception of Thor making a mockery of the traditions but making his grand entrance and hoisting Mjölnir in the air. She could see Loki's resentment of the attention, but gave him her support to a quick squeeze of his hand. He had brushed her fingertips with his to acknowledge her support and his thanks. His ridged posture didn't break until Odin paused just before saying the words that would make Thor king. 

When Odin was made the announcement that the Vault had been breached Loki was already moving. Kara was half a step behind. Loki began to teleport and Kara grabbed his arm so she would be with him.

The scene in front of the Vault was tragic and self-explanatory. There were no guards outside. The doors were wide open and inside two of Odin’s finest personal Einherjar were dead, slain by ice spears through their bodies. In the entrance of the inner door stood the Destroyer framed by the delicate scrollwork of the marble arches that framed the door.

On the wall by the first set of door there were shadows of three bodies. Like the shadows left behind after Hiroshima, the carbon deposits of the attacker’s bodies had been burned into the walls of the Vault by the Destroyer’s fiery blast. The ghostly images drew Kara’s gaze.

Loki grabbed her wrist. “Kara I suggest you go to your rooms and wait for word. I doubt the coronation will continue today. Thor’s temper will be volatile and you should not be here to see it.” Kara could hear Thor and his friends running towards the Vault from several floors away and yelling in rage already, Kara knew intellectually he was right.

Kara stared at the image and dead bodies for a moment and then blankly nodded her head. There was nothing for her to do but get in the way anyway. “Be careful of his temper.” She warned him before she left.

She flew out the window and had sat heavily on her receiving couch and tried to unsuccessfully wipe the memory of the burned images from her mind. 

One image had especially bothered her. The being had held it’s arm up as if to cover its eyes. There was no image of a weapon as there had been on the two others. This third figure had been smaller than the other two. They’d been very tall; at least twelve feet in height. The third had been closer to nine or ten. It made Kara wonder if the third had been a young warrior. Maybe on his first mission into enemy territory. What she couldn’t figure out was why the other two would have allowed for a young inexperienced warrior to go on a mission that was doomed to failure, and so dangerous. 

She sat still for nearly an hour before Frigga came to see her. She confirmed Loki’s thoughts that Thor was in a rage. The Coronation and Feast had been cancelled for an unknown amount of time.

“I will take my leave then Mother.” Kara sighed with and sadness that Frigga had rarely seen. “I need to see to my friend. Tony is sick and I am worried what he has managed to do in the time I have been away already.”

Frigga hugged her tightly. “Go with my blessing.” She told her with a loving smile. “Think of what you have learned these past few days and what I said about marriages. There is no rush to get you to the altar. A century long engagement is something we can consider if you wish time to experience life without the trappings of marriage right away dearest my daughter.” Her hand rested on Kara’s cheek, lovingly.

Kara chuckled darkly. “So sure you are that I’ll choose Loki.”

Frigga gave her a knowing look. “While I can’t see you or Loki’s futures clearly, I can see the futures of those around you.” She reminded Kara with a kind indulgent grin. “Even if you choose not to marry him, you will always be close. Your type of connection is rare.” She told her with a wisp of the etherealness that accompanied her visions.

Kara shivered but hugged her tightly. “Goodbye Mother. Give Loki my farewells; I imagine he is with Thor.”

Frigga sighed and kissed Kara’s brow before stepping back to allow Kara to leave. “Yes. If anyone can calm Thor it will be Loki.” She placed her palm on Kara’s locket, charging the stone with her magic so Kara would not need the Bifröst. “Go and be well my daughter. I will write when we reschedule the coronation.”

Kara smiled before she headed for the secret opening to Midgard. The nearest one to the palace opened close to the Observation Post where Heimdall watched the stars. Activating the pendent she opened the passageway and sped through the dark and shadowed path that lead to her Fortress.


	4. Chapter 3:  Thor’s fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gotta love Midgardian girl's with pockets full of lightening.

SoA Part 1  
By Sirya Black  
Chapter 3: Thor’s fall

May 29th 2011

Kara was still looking through her database trying to find a way to help Tony with his palladium poisoning issue. An hour ago he'd sent some strange photos of a model and an animation of a new earth element superimposed over it. Kara had run the design through Brainiac and was now hopeful. The new element he was developing was one not used on Krypton but that was because it was literally man-made. Tony was literally making something no one had ever seen before! The simulations Brainiac had run seemed to conclude that the new element was what Tony needed. Clean energy that could run the reactor. Now if only Kara could convince Tony to let her remove the pieces of shrapnel near his heart, he'd only need the reactor if he truly wanted it.

  
She was about to tell Tony the good news but Brainiac had interrupted her and warned her that the Bifröst had opened in New Mexico. Startled she quickly flew out as fast as possible to the site forgetting to update Tony on her findings.

  
Looking down at the desert floor she couldn't believe what she was seeing. The Bifröst landing site was easy to see from the air. The image of the seal of Asgard was burned into the desert's harden surface was hard to miss from above. Nearby however three humans were trying to half carry and half drag a mortally dressed and unconscious Thor towards a truck with a camper. She flew down slowly in front of them. "Can I help you with something?"

  
"SUPERGIRL! OH MY GOD THIS IS SO COOL. I HAVE BEEN HOPING TO SEE YOU ONE DAY!" The darker haired young woman shouted with huge eyes and excitement in her voice. "I'M SUCH A HUGE FAN! CAN I GET A SELFIE WITH YOU?"

  
Kara was surprised by the girl's enthusiasm considering the situation but managed to hide her smile from the woman. She raised a brow as she looked over the body of her foster brother and the other humans who were gapping at her.

  
"It's seriously not what it looks like!" The dark haired woman who had spoken already gasped as she dropped Thor's leg to the ground when she realized the situation looked very bad.

  
"He appeared out of nowhere!" The older and lighter hair woman added quickly as she too dropped Thor's other leg. "I didn't see him in time."

  
The older man just was looking out of his element staring at her. He slowly lowered Thor's head and shoulders down.

  
Kara gave them a warmer smile and set down on her feet near Thor's head. "I'm sure it's not." Looking down at Thor she allowed her puzzled expression to show. "Did he come out of the Bifröst like this, or was he awake?"

  
"The-the Bifröst?" The older woman asked. She stared at Kara. Her breathing quickly changed to close to hyperventilation.

  
"The storm and beam of light that burned the dirt and grass over there," Kara said more concerned as she crouched and checked Thor for injuries. As she passed her hand over his body she was startled to not feel his aura. Thor was mortal! "This isn't right." She whispered to herself as she ran her fingers over his forehead once more, trying to feel even a slight bit of the aura that normal radiated out from the god.  
"No, he was awake, but he was screaming at the sky and he was freaking us out majorly so I tazed him." The younger girl said almost proudly, "Knocked him flat out."

  
Kara couldn't help a small smile that crossed her face. "You tazed him?" She chuckled quietly. Looking him over, she found no other injuries but did see the two small puncture marks from the tazer near his neck. "Oh he is never going to live that down. Taken out by a Midgardian girl with a pocket full of lighting," She didn't miss the bit about Thor screaming at the sky. He'd likely been yelling for Heimdall.  
The man finally entered into the conversation. "I take it you know him."

  
Kara winced and sighed thoughtfully. "You could say that. Thor is my foster-brother. I never got along with him though. My other brother and I got along much better. They were both much older than I was when I was there."

  
Kara picked up Thor's body and threw him over her shoulder. "Do you mind if I borrow your trailer until he wakes?" If Thor had been yelling for Heimdall she was going to need to assess how much they knew of Asgard before she left them.

  
"No please, use it as long as you need. We were going to take him to the hospital…" The older woman trailed off.

  
Kara placed him on the floor of the small bed inside and turned back to them as they took seats around the small kitchen table. "There is no need for that. Once he wakes I'll take him somewhere safe for him to explain himself. If he is here in this condition he's being punished for something, and it's about time his father got a clue and did this. Thor has been in need of a metaphorical spanking for a very long time!" Kara was reviled Odin had done this instead of rescheduling his coronation. Thor being here begged the question; what had happened since she left Asgard that morning that had caused Odin to banish Thor? The punishment was a bit extreme and used only for those that had done something truly horrible but not treasonous.

  
"Where did he come from? Asgard?" The older woman asked carefully, looking more than a little twitchy. Her hands were clasping at each other in agitation. "I thought I detected an Einstein-Rosen Bridge just before he showed up?"

  
Kara's eyes opened wide with surprise and her head snapped up at stare at the woman. "Who are you, and where did you hear of Asgard?"

  
She understood the woman had to be a very high level physics academic to even know what an Einstein-Rosen bridge was. The fact she could detect and track one was concerning, if Kara hadn’t been using the World Tree Path, she’d have left several trails for this woman to have followed.

As far as she had known, no one was looking into anything resembling Asgardian tech in the academic world. She knew there were a few people considered fringe scientists who were actually on the right track but they didn’t have the ability to detect Asgardian tech, or at least Kara hadn’t thought so until now.

The woman looked scared but swallowed hard and put out her hand. “I’m Dr. Jane Foster. This is Dr. Eric Selvig and Darcy Lewis, my intern.” Kara took her hand and shook it carefully but just continued to stare at the tiny woman. “Thor was yelling to someone to open the Einstein-Rosen Bridge and yelling about going back to Asgard before Darcy put him down.”

Kara sighed with disgust as she broke out of her stare. “Not here even five minutes and he broke a law I dared not to.” She stepped outside for a moment and scowled up at the sky. “Heimdall! If I’m stuck babysitting the moron I’m going to do it my way, and if Odin has a problem with that he can come and collect his idiot son and send him elsewhere. Midgard is not a penal colony for wayward idiots.” She yelled in Old Norse, just in case Odin did decide to take him back. She figured if Thor was still there in a few minutes that Odin was fine with her choice.

The three looked at each other while Supergirl took several deep breaths and then waited for several minutes before she faced the trailer again. Kara allowed her armor to fade into normal faded jeans, and a vintage Def Leopard t-shirt (something she wore to troll Tony with because he loved his AC/DC so much) since the tight fit of the camper wouldn’t allow for her to sit comfortably in the armor. She put her long blonde hair up into a ponytail before she made herself comfortable by sitting down beside Dr. Foster at the small table.

They were together staring at her in utter amazement. Dr. Foster had picked up a device and was muttering about how it was impossible to transfigure things outside of the movies.

“That was better than Harry Potter!” Darcy breathlessly gasped at her. ”You do magic?”

Kara shook her head but chuckled at the girl’s enthusiasm. “It’s actual alien tech.” She told them. She didn’t feel like getting into a debate with the Dr. Foster about if magic was real or not. While it was called magic, or seiðr, it was just very advanced science contained in the amulet.

“That’s cool.” Darcy said with a nod accepting without needing proof. “Advanced stuff, like the bridge? The Bifröst you called it?”

Kara nodded thankfully at the young woman as Dr. Foster once more paid more attention to her instead of the device in her hand that was taking readings of Kara’s body. Dr. Selvig was looking very uncomfortable and staring at his hands, his lips pressed tightly together, as if stopping himself from asking questions forcefully.

Kara looked at the clock over the oven and noticed there had been no movement of the skies. Time was up. Heimdall would have given her some type of notice if they were coming, since they weren’t she would do as she pleased.

“The Bifröst is what the Æsir call their Einstein-Rosen Bridge device that allows them to travel to different Realms. There are Nine Inhabited Realms that are connected to the Bifröst and there are other worlds within the reach of each Realm, and a space of darkness called the Void between them.” Jane fell back in her seat in complete disbelief as Kara validated everything she had ever dared to believe and more. Eric sat beside her completed flabbergasted. Only Darcy looked unfazed by the new information. “While there are other planets and other empires in the universes, only the Nine are part of the Asgardian Empire and connected to the Bifröst and instant travel between the Realms.”

“So Thor’s an alien like you,” Darcy determined, her voice still in awe.

Kara smiled gently. “Not exactly like me. We are different races but essentially, yes.” She explained carefully. She was about to flaunt a law. She took a deep cleansing breath then began to explain.

“He’s Asgardian and from the Realm of Asgard. I’m actually from what would be considered a Realm beyond the Nine in my own dimension and of a race that never evolved here. To get to Krypton from Asgard they would have to travel to Krypton by spaceship and travel vast distances through the Void.”

“That’s so weird.” Darcy shook her head. “What about the other Realms?”

Kara thought for a second. “Think Lord of the Rings. There are two Realms of Elves, light and dark, Frost Giants, Fire Giants, Dwarves and others who have mostly the same physiology as the Asgardians on Vanir.”

“Whoa! Elves and Dwarves are real!” Darcy yelled. “That is so cool!”

“Not according to the stories left by the Norse people.” Eric said softly and quite hesitantly. “They have some pretty messed up myths about them.”

Kara snorted with a touch of disgust. “I am aware. My brother for example did not give birth to a horse and was never married. Although Sleipnir does exist and was created by him, he used magic on the mare, not his own body. He was still a very young child when most of the myths about him were created, too young in fact for the stories to actually be about him.”

“Loki!” Eric gasped as he realized who she was speaking of. “You are speaking of Loki! They actually exist! The Norse gods!”

Kara acknowledged the man with a nod and polite smile. “Most of the people in the myths do.” She gritted her teeth for an unpleasant conversation. She hated the myths and this human seemed to know them well.

“Is Baldur still alive?” Eric asked excitedly.

Kara looked annoyed at the question. “Baldur is Thor’s bastard older sibling, and not acknowledged as a member of the royal family. He is not some all-powerful wonder god that can only be killed by mistletoe. There are only two Princes of Asgard.” Looking down at Thor she re-thought that. “Well actually one now that Thor’s banished. Being banished removes him from the line of succession and technically his title as crown prince.”

“I take it you read up on the myths when you got here.” Eric inquired carefully, not wanting to irritate her again.

Kara snorted in disgust. “I think the myths I take most offence to are the ones that distort the people they are about. And as much as Odin can be a neglectful father at times, he’d never take a child from one of his sons, and then use him as he does Sleipnir as his mount.” She glared hatefully at the wall. “The horse was a gift from a talented child to an adored father, nothing more.”

The three stared at her after her little rant. She flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry, bit of a sore subject.”

Eric nodded carefully. “Other than the plots of mischief, Loki is a pretty sympathetic character in the stories, at least when not drunk.”

Kara glared at him. “I’d hate to be the one who introduces those stories to Loki. Especially the ones where he gave birth to any children at all,” Kara shook her head in disgust. “He happens to be an Asgardian male, and suggesting otherwise is grave insult.” The seriousness of her tone was missed by the women but Erik with his understanding of the warrior culture of the Vikings understood when she said grave she meant it literally. To say such a thing about a prince would be to ask for death. “He would have been equivalent to a child of seven or eight when those stories were made up so I have no idea where the stories came from or why they would be attributed to Loki.”

Eric cowered slightly from her glare. Kara lowered her head and closed her eyes before shaking her head sadly. “I’m sorry but they are my family.” She said sadly. “And Loki has enough to deal with in real life. Those stories if they were ever released on Asgard would be used against him as his title as the ‘God of Lies’ already is.”

Darcy smiled at her and asked the question no one had ever asked, even of Asgard. “Why does he have the title God of Lies?”

Kara smiled at Darcy. She remembered Loki’s answer when she had asked him. Because no one can lie to me without me knowing, he had said.

“A better title would have been ‘God of Truths’ since he can sense when someone is lying, but even when he had gained the title he was known for twisting facts to suit his point of view so ‘God of Mischief and Lies’ was the title given. He rarely actually lies outright. He more often colors or shades the truth to suit his needs, or those of his audience. Point of view often plays a role in determining when one is lying, and Loki is very good about playing with those shadows. Most often he called a liar when he tells a truth one does not want to hear.” Kara explained fondly.

“What about Thor?” Jane asked as she looked back at the prone man on the bed.

“Thor can control storms, but more often the weather reflects his moods since he’s incompetent with magic, except when he is channeling it through his hammer.” Kara sniffed disapprovingly. “Unless it involves killing and glory, Thor doesn’t pay much attention to it, even when he should.”

Eric looked back and forth between Thor and Kara. “You said you don’t like Thor much.”

Kara sighed and ran her hand through her hair in an attempt to collect her thoughts. “Thor and I never had much to do with each other. He and his friends are warriors, and as such only care for the glory they can find in re-telling their tales or triumphs over some enemy or beast.” She looked out the window and gazed deeply into the night sky, her thoughts still a jumble. “I had so many years of study to catch up on. What they spend centuries learning I had to learn in less than a decade. Mother or Loki would often reduce several large and necessary books down into a single textbook sized tome and spend a while discussing them with me. I often know the big picture, but not the minor details of several subjects. These subjects are ones Thor should know by heart, but often I know more than him.” This had been evident at the court, when Loki was advising him by pretending to instruct Kara.

“At first he was interested in me as a novelty on the rare occasion he even noticed I was around. After a while he acted as if I was his mother’s pet, not his foster sister.” She scowled as she thought of him yesterday and his constant whining about her being part of the festivities. “He never accepted me as a family member, only an obligation.”

“Thor is very arrogant, as most warriors on Asgard are. Being the Crown Prince makes him even worse than most, and his friends are just as conceited and often step out of line, but because they are his friends they are always be excused, and never held to account for their mistakes.” She scowled at Thor. The others are shared looks of amazement at the story, each hanging on her every word. Erik was growing more concerned about the state of relations between the two however. He didn’t want to get caught up in a ‘war’ between two super-powered siblings with a grudge against one another.

They sat in awe as Kara told them a few stories about Thor’s arrogant ways, the palace, the Warrior’s Three and Lady Sif over the course of the next hour. She told them about some of their disagreements on and off the training fields.

“Loki on the other hand was kind but distant at first.” She told them. “His pranks and mischief are usually in retaliation for slights, and insults. The purpose of which was to make others wary of doing the same and to humiliate the one who was so boorish as to insult a Prince of Asgard.” She told them with a small smile. “With Thor shining so bright,” her voice was sarcastic as she spoke of Thor, “people would often forget Loki was also a Prince.”

The others nodded but were transfixed by her story. She gave a little laugh as an incident came to mind.

“The first time I pulled a prank on one of those arrogant jerks who had offended me, Loki was blamed.” She sighed and her brow furrowed as she remembered his punishment. “He had laughed at the lord I had drenched in honey and told him “Perhaps next time you will be sweeter to my sister.” The Lord had blanched, but quickly left he hall.” Kara smiled at the memory once more and saw Darcy at least was smiling back. Both of the scientists were still just awed by the story they were hearing about another Realm and people who they only knew from stories.

“Other than Frigga that was the first time anyone had claimed me as family since Krypton.” Her eyes misted at the emotion the memory invoked. The swell of warmth and love filled her chest as well as grief and sadness.

“So I hope you can understand why I care for Loki so much more than Thor.” She said softly as she turned her head back to the people in front of her. She wasn’t about to talk about her new feelings regarding him and the possible idea of an arrangement, they were strangers.

“To me; Loki and Frigga are family, while Thor is…” She paused as she thought of the best way to describe the level of connection she felt to Thor. “Frigga’s son, I guess is the best way to describe our relationship. I really don’t feel any close connection to him, but there is an obligation because she is my mother too.” She looked over at his sprawled form, “An unwanted responsibility while he is here, but extended family none the less.”

“And Odin?” Erik asked carefully. Unlike the others, he knew the stories intimately. His family being Scandinavia he knew the stories in a religious concept, and while he didn’t worship the Gods of Asgard, he knew people who did.

Kara looked thoughtful. “Odin is Frigga’s husband and Asgard’s King. I really had less to do with him than Thor to be honest.” Odin had dismissed her as anyone important as soon as it had been verified she was mostly mortal even if she was one of the few with a Norns blessing. He’d been indulgent and spoke kindly when it had been required of him. He had never sot her out, and she had never seen a need to seek his attentions either. Unlike Thor he had never ignored her at family affairs; he had just been uninterested in her. She was his female ward through his wife. But on this last visit he’d seemed concerned and with his intent to possibly push for a match with Loki her feelings on Odin was tangled with other concerns. He seemed warmer this trip than he had in the past. He had actually looked at her kindly and made sure Asgard regarded her as a Royal Ward regardless of her ‘maturity’.

With Thor banished and Kara was quickly becoming more powerful by the day as the yellow sun’s radiation seeped deeper into her cells, powering her abilities, and supercharging her healing, giving her an aura of invulnerability, Odin might very well recall her. If her mother’s warning about Odin wanting the Realms settled before he retired than there was a possibility he might call her and make the arrangement with Loki to keep her tied to Asgard. The idea of being made Queen of Asgard made her shiver with dread.

If Kara had truly been Odin’s daughter, the dismissive attitude would have hurt her deeply when she was a child. She had understood he was a busy and important man who had no time for a mortal child who would be gone in what would seem like a blink of an eye. Still she had no reason to hate him, just wary since she was unsure if she and Loki could be a married couple, it had only been less than forty-eight hours since the idea had been brought up to her. Of everyone she knew in her life Loki would be the easiest to be married to, but she was still so young, even by Earth standards for such things.

“We were cordial.” She shrugged unsure how to feel about the Allfather in this context. “I was a responsibility.”

Erik sat further back in his seat, satisfied by her explanations, but internally freaking out all the same. Jane was almost buzzing in her seat, while Darcy was smirking with amusement.

“That is so awesome!” Darcy chuckled happily. She looked so she looked like she was going to burst into song.

“But what can you tell me about the Rons-" Jane began but Kara cut her off.

“I can’t tell you much.” Kara said holding up her hand to Jane’s questions. Having dealt with Tony and other academics she knew to cut off scientists before they got into their stride.

“Consider it like the “Prime Directive”.” She explained to the now falling face of the excitable tiny scientist. “I can tell you, yes, you are on the right track,” Jane’s eyes re-lit with purpose and hope, “but I can’t help you build it until you are almost there on your own so you don’t blow up yourself or Earth.” She kidded with to take the sting out of her restrictions.

Jane took a deep breath and nodded thoughtfully, but her disappointment was back and her shoulders slumped. “Oh! Of course not.”

Kara placed a hand on Jane’s, trying to give her some comfort. “It wouldn’t be your discovery if I gave you the answers.” She clarified softly. Jane looked back up and gave her a sad little smile.

“Just to be so close to…” Jane groaned with frustration.

Kara could appreciate the woman’s disappointment. She’d had this conversation with Tony several times. Mostly joking, but a few were quite serious at first. The ‘Prime Directive argument’ was actually one he’d labelled and referenced often. The idea from the Star Trek show made a very real sense to her. If they can’t build it on their own, they aren’t ready. It was simplistic but very truthful.

“I am however, willing to verify your scientific findings if they are true, now that Thor has outed Asgard.” She gave the woman a winning smile. “It was illegal for me to do so before now.”  
Jane and Erik were looking back at each other with hope burning once more, though Erik looked more than a little freaked out too. She could almost see them both figuring out which theories they wanted her to verify first.

Looking back at the window Kara could see the light of dawn beginning to peak over the horizon. She looked back at where she had placed Thor and heaved a sigh. “I have no idea what to do with him.”

“You can’t take him to your super-secret hideout?” Darcy asked impishly. Her smile was full of amusement and Kara couldn’t help but laugh.

“No, I really can’t.” She chuckled. The thought of Thor in New York was quite frightening actually. Malibu was out for SHIELD reasons, and the Fortress was quite a bit too cold for Thor for a long period of time at the moment. It would take several hours, if not a full day for her to warm it up enough to bring him there. She made a mental note to ask for Brainiac to warm it, just in case she ended up having to bring Thor, or anyone else, up there in the future.

Kara heard the engines of a helicopter coming their way. The chopper was at least ten minutes out. “You have company coming.” She stated flatly. Internally she cursed while she tried to think of how to best deal with this situation. She really had no where she could hide with or without Thor. The desert had no brush or outcroppings she could remain behind to be inconspicuous, and there was no cloud cover to hide in where she could overhear SHIELD’s conversations.

“Who would be coming out here?” Jane inquired as she too looked out the window, not seeing the aircraft that was still miles away.

“SHIELD I’ll bet,” Kara sighed as she looked franticly at Thor’s prone body. “I’ll need to take Thor and leave quickly. They can’t know about him. I shouldn’t have even truly told you about us.” She ran her hand through her hair, pulling it out of its ponytail in her aggravation.

“No.” Jane placed her hand on Kara’s arm. “He’s passed out still. I can pretend he’s my ex. I still have his clothes here so they won’t think anything of it.”

“Jane be reasonable,” Erik cut in, “They’re going to want to talk to him.”

“I can keep him knocked out.” Kara said looking at Jane she stared at the young woman. “Are you sure about this?” she asked her anxiously.

“Yes.” She nodded quickly. Darcy was standing beside Jane almost bouncing with glee at helping out.

“You need to figure out where to put him. We can keep him until you get back.” Darcy reassured her.

Kara gratefully accepted. “Thank you. I’ll give him a sedation stone and that will keep him asleep until I return.” She pulled a small stone from her space pocket and crushed it before placing it on his forehead. The powdered stone seemed to fade into his skin and the sleeping giant seemed to fall into an even deeper and more peaceful sleep. “I’ll make this up to you, I promise.” She swore to them.

“You better go.” Erik grunted, clearly not in agreement but unwilling to annoy a super powered alien. “I can hear the choppers now.”

Kara nodded and left as quickly as she could. Within three minutes she was back in the Malibu lab monitoring the site with a Stark satellite and Brainiac over-seeing the communications signals they were using. She’d also left a bug in Jane trailer and attached to the laptop on the table to help monitor Thor while she was gone.

 


	5. Chapter 4:  Thor’s Hammer and SHIELD

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes life just sucks, and sometimes it's not as bad as it seems. Today it's both.

SoA Part 1   
By Sirya Black  
Chapter 4: Thor’s Hammer and SHIELD

May 30th 2011

Six hours later Kara ‘Stark’ had arrived in the New Mexico Desert. She had used one of the Stark Private jets to bring several new top of the line Stark Pad laptops and tablets, a new desktop system, satellite dish, a top of the line iPod with five hundred dollars in gift cards and a check for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars from Kara Stark with Pepper’s full approval and promises to launch a complaint about abuse of power at Director Fury. 

Kara borrowed one of Tony’s motorcycles and a helmet so she could leave the Stark Jet while the equipment was unloaded and brought to the diner where Kara expected to meet up with the Dr. Foster’s group. The town they were headquartered out of was little over an hour from the nearest airport. Kara made the ‘drive’ in fifteen minutes; the tires never touched the ground as she flew a foot off the ground, holding the bike up until she was just outside of town, and people would need to see her drive the bike up to the diner. 

She had been incest when SHIELD took all of Dr. Foster’s gear and even poor Darcy’s iPod. The agents had tried everything they could think of to wake Thor but stopped after throwing cold water on him hadn’t helped. Jane had managed to get them to not send Thor to the hospital but it had more to do with the agent trying to get away from her rather than letting the matter drop.

She’d heard the agent in charge wanting to keep tabs on them from a distance, but there was no way she was going to allow them to stop Jane from doing her work, or taking credit from her. Kara knew what data Jane had at least recorded from the instruments she had seen in the trailer and placed that same information on a very small thumb drive so Jane could analyze the feedback from the Bifröst. The drive was so small it would be easy for her to hide it if SHIELD came back. She had been careful to screen out anything that Jane couldn’t have recorded, if she had over done it Jane could tell her what was missing later, but it was more important to Kara that SHIELD not steal Jane’s life’s work from her. It also had cemented her commitment to validating the correct theories Jane had evidence to support. 

Over the last several hours while she had watched SHIELD bully the team she had also looked up Jane Foster’s work. For Midgard it was revolutionary, so it was of course being over looked by the scientific community. That was the reason Kara had been unaware of it. JARVIS had needed to dig to find her papers and publications. Peer-reviews had been unkind. Crackpot was a commonly used to describe her findings, but funnily enough she was more right than she was wrong in her theories and calculations. She would be much further along had Midgard possessed a telescope equal in strength to that of an Asgard’s seiðr-user researcher. Seiðr allowed Asgard’s researchers to look at any star system up close as if it were a child’s computer model of the Sol system, only in real time.

As an added precaution against SHIELD interference she’d registered every device to her Kara Stark persona via Stark Industries. SHIELD would then be required to check with Tony before they tried to steal Jane’s research again. Tony’s deal with SHIELD meant they couldn’t confiscate Stark Industries property without proper compensation, which they hadn’t even offered Dr. Foster for the computers or other equipment. So in retaliation Kara was making herself Dr. Foster’s Patron. Anything she needed from now on for her research, Kara would provide, just so SHIELD couldn’t take it from her again, nor could they blackmail her later to work for them.

The trio had headed back into town and gone to a local diner. Kara made her way to the town, parked her bike and made a scene of taking her helmet off so people would notice her. Dressed in black leather pants, knee high black boots and a white road rash jacket with Stark Industries’ Logo on the back she looked the typical rich kid out on a fancy bike, very out of place in a tiny New Mexico town like Puente Antiguo. Once inside she made a point to ask the waitress for Dr. Jane Foster to which the waitress looked at the group. They were the only ones not staring at her. She walked over with a smile and introduced herself.

“Hi,” She spoke directly to Jane. “A mutual friend sent me with your new equipment and to see to your boyfriend, I heard he had way too much to drink last night.” She winked at Jane, who hours later was still managing to look completely shell-shocked at having her whole life’s work confiscated by the government.

“The damn iPod thief took everything dudette!” Darcy sighed dramatically. She knew there was something about the woman she recognized, it was bugging her that she knew the face but not from where.

Jane looked like she had spent most of the past several hours crying. “Most of that equipment was handmade. It’s not like I can just buy a new one!” She snapped at the young girl. “That equipment was specifically designed for my work, they’re not something most universities would have and would take months to replace!”

Kara felt horrible and more than a little responsible and took a fold piece of paper out of her pocket. “I know money can’t replace the equipment immediately, but this should help get you back into the research business.” Kara told her softly as she passed the folded check to Jane.

Jane sniffled and was about to say no amount of money could but then she looked at the check and her jaw dropped. “Stark Industries! Are you kidding? They’re giving me one hundred and fifty thousand dollars? Why?” Everyone in the diner was now watching the group. Even the cook came out to see what was happening. 

“Whoa, that is amazing!” Darcy cried out excitedly. “It will take a bit of time but we can re-create your babies with that!”

“What’s the catch?” Erik’s face was full of suspicion. “Why would Stark do this? He’s in league with SHIELD.” Kara was expecting his reaction. The man had been around for quite some time and was actually quite well known in the academic world as a leading physicist. Unlike Jane he wasn’t considered a crackpot.

Kara turned a chair from the next table around and straddled it as she sat down. “First off; Kara Stark is paying for all this. Tony doesn’t know about it yet.” She explained as she counted off the first point on her fingers.

“But he will when he’s available. He’s in the middle of something in Malibu. His Stark Expo is tomorrow so it should be by then I hope.” And Kara had learned he was incommunicado as he made an attempt to create his new element. JARVIS had been told unless it was Earth ending he was not to be disturbed even by Kara. Tony didn’t even have the information Brainiac had developed for him. Plus SHIELD was all over him so she couldn’t even get close.

The rest of them gave each other a look of surprise but kept quiet as Kara continued. “Second; you did a favor for a friend of mine so I am helping in part to pay her back.” She smirked with as mischievous a smile as she could accomplish. “I’m Kara Stark by the way. I’m Tony’s assistant and no I’m not sleeping with him, nor am I his daughter, regardless of what the tabloids might think.”

Darcy slapped her forehead. “I knew you looked familiar. Totally saw those stories. I can see why they think that with you both being so damn smart and dark haired and great eyes! Totally different color though.” She beamed at Kara.

Kara laughed at Darcy’s observations. “Yes, mine are green and his are brown.”

Jane’s mouth was wide open. “You’re the teenager who graduated from MIT last year with three Master degrees at sixteen in four months!” Erik’s eyes were now as wide as the others. He was looking at the girl with new respect.

“You got it.” She laughed with a light blush. “I also come bearing gifts from your new friend from last night.” She handed Jane the invoice from Stark Plaza in LA where she had appropriated the computer equipment from the stock for company use, and one from chain retail store she handed to Darcy for the new iPod and gift cards.

“Computers, laptops, tablets,” Jane gasped looking at Kara in completely disbelief, “everything plus the check? Why?” She’d never heard of anyone offering this kind of support without going through huge hoops and reams of grant applications. Something Jane was familiar with doing, but rarely receiving anything for her efforts.

Kara’s face softened as she looked fondly at the woman, “Because you helped her when she needed it without thought of being compensated.” She watched the woman’s face as she looked uncomfortable with her praise. “And because SHIELD shouldn’t be able to derail your research just because they feel like it. So yes, you get the money with no contract obligations or grant rules attached. I would like to read your research paper or results first, as a thank you though if you are feeling generous.” She suggested with a huge playful grin.

Jane’s face still flushed managed to say, “She helps everyone else, it was the least we could do after hitting her brother with a car.” She muttered with flushed cheeks, embarrassed she had run the beautiful man/god/alien over. “And I would love to share with you Ms. Stark.”

People were finally starting to look away from the group and a gaggle of teenagers had moved outside to look at the motorcycle. It was a super expensive motorcycle with a top speed of over 200 MPH. She wasn’t surprised it was gaining a crowd. It was also painted up in Tony’s colors and had his damn name embossed on the side of it.

Kara sobered and leaned forward into the back of the seat she was sitting on. “She also had no idea SHIELD would take all your equipment.” She told her sympathetically. What happened to Jane’s research was Kara’s worst nightmare. It was also the reason why Kara hid the Fortress so deep in the Arctic Circle and underground so it couldn’t be detected.

Jane growled and looked away from the young girl. “To be fair they took it because we were in the area researching the Einstein-Rosen Bridge, not because they suspected anything to do with her. They never even asked about her.” She admitted kinda proudly that they managed to hide Supergirl’s involvement from SHIELD. Darcy’s over the top bitching about her iPod and Jane screeching in the face of the lead agent had made the normally steadfast Agent Coulson flinch. 

“Well, I have one more thing that will help.” Kara pulled out the micro drive. “On this drive I have all the data regarding the gravitational, and atmospheric conditions of the Bifröst from last night. It has readings from; before, during and after touchdown. That was the data you had collected too was it not?” It also included all the alpha, beta and gamma wave radiation outputs, anything that Earth was able to detect that Jane could have been recording since radiation was the only way Earth had presently to see seiðr scientifically, that was the best she could provide.

Jane stared at the drive as if it was the Holy Grail. “Yes! I was sure we’d never get those back and that was the hardest part to replace! We also had some light spectrum high-speed cameras going too. Where did you get those readings?”

Kara cleared her throat and lowered her voice for privacy. “Supergirl’s main computer in her Fortress, it’s always scanning for Asgardian tech in use.” She whispered so as not to be overheard by anyone. “She sent it on. I don’t have the camera images though, sorry, but I will see if I can get them back from SHIELD soon.”

They had to wait for nearly two hours before the rental van arrived with the new equipment. Kara listened closely and caught an agent that had been left behind to watch Dr. Foster from across the street as he reported in. News that Dr. Foster had already had new equipment with “Stark Industries Property” plastered all over the side of the boxes was reported to the agent in charge along with the fact Kara Stark had arrived on Tony’s personal Ducati motorcycle to deliver the equipment. 

The men who delivered the boxes had stayed long enough to help move not only the equipment but also Thor inside Jane’s headquarters by making it look like he was stumbling inside between two of the men. They were used to some very strange requests from Tony so they didn’t even bat an eye at Kara’s. They placed Thor inside on the couch in the living room of the gas station transitioned into an apartment and field lab. Once everyone was away from him and putting the rest of the boxes where Jane was directing Kara carefully crushed a healing stone and placed it on Thor’s head so he would awaken soon and any head injuries would be healed first.

She turned to the group standing in the large room that had been sectioned off into the lab area She could look into the lab and dining area from the living room where Thor was laid out. “So let’s unpack the computers and start them up. I’ll give you the registry information so you don’t have to worry about SHIELD again.” She began to explain why SHIELD wouldn’t be trying to steal their stuff again as they unpacked and began to setup Jane’s new lab equipment. Once they were well on their way to setting up their laptops and tablets, Kara moved to sit next to Thor.

About twenty minutes later, Thor finally began to awaken. Thankfully the others were so fixated on their new stuff they missed the beginning of a quiet conversation Kara had with him.

“Welcome to Midgard Thor.” Kara said softly in Old Norse as he blinked his eyes opened.

Thor looked around a little confused but the pounding in his head meant he kept his normally booming voice down to a matching whisper. “What has happened?” He groaned bringing his hand up to him forehead. “Where am I?”

“You’ve been made mortal, and we are with some people who found you before I could.” Kara responded as calmly as possible so she didn’t frighten him in case he didn’t remember what had happened to him. “You were to be made King two days past. What could possibly have changed so much since I left that you now find yourself down here with me among the humans?” She asked him with as soothing a voice as she could muster. She could tell Thor was not himself. He was quiet and reflective.

Thor actually blushed and looked away from her in embarrassment. “The coronation was cancelled when Frost Giants attacked the Treasure Vault as you know.”

Kara furrowed her brow in sorrow as she remembered the images burned into the wall. Unlike Thor she saw the other races as people while the Æsir taught their children Frost Giants and mortals were monsters and beasts. “I am aware. Loki and I actually made it to the Vault first. He bid me to retreat when I didn’t react well to the scene.” She admitted her weakness so Thor would not need to crow superiorly.

Thor started to shake his head but thought better of it when his head gave a mighty throb of pain. “It was a small scout party as you saw then.”

Kara snorted with mirth. “The three, they had no hope of taking the Vault. Either the guards or the Destroyer would have ended them before they entered the main vault. It was a desperate suicide mission. There was no danger of them succeeding.” She looked down at her hands. “I was honestly surprised when Mother told me the coronation was not to continue as planned.”

Thor sighed and played with the edge of the blanket he was still under. “That’s what Father said. He was not pleased with my assertion that something must be done about the intrusion.”

Kara’s brows shot up, knowing Thor’s temper as she left the scene she knew he’d not spoken softly and Odin likely would not have been in a positive mood. “Your pride flared and you argued with the Allfather to what end? Re-start a war because a few desperate men lead a doomed attack and were killed for their foolishness?”

Thor pouted but would not meet her gaze. As much as he wished he could refute her claims as infantile nonsense, he knew she was right. “Not re-start the war but to retaliate; a strike force to regain honor. To show we weren’t weak.” He tried to claim with confidence, but without his godly aura it didn’t come across as strongly as it normally would have.

Kara sighed and slide down the coffee table closer to Thor and took his hand. “Any attack by Asgard would be considered a re-ignition of hostilities. Laufey only needed an excuse to restart he war. Without the Casket… Jötunheim is dying.” Her words were half a pled for mercy and half rage on the behalf of a dying people. Thor and most of Asgard for that matter never seemed to grasp this fact. Each Realm had a Heart, and the Casket was Jötunheim’s. Without it the Realm was slowly becoming a wasteland with no hope of sustaining life within a few generations. “King Laufey needs Asgard to be the aggressor so the other Realms would stand with him, otherwise he would be doomed to failure and his people would continue to die with him, only in war instead of starvation.”

Thor looked back down. “I’d forgotten he’d need cause to gain support.” He admitted. He didn’t even seem to hear her plea and Kara groaned in defeat.

“Thor, without support his Realm will die and all his people with it. That is something Asgard should have never forgotten.” Kara sighed with weariness and regret that there was nothing she could do to save them. “Even I know all this and I haven’t had the years of study in Statecraft you do. As a future King and a Prince you should be more aware of the political implications of your actions. As king even threatening to re-ignite the war would have seen the armies being raised and men preparing for battle. The economy would be instantly changed and the food storages rationed.”

Thor nodded regretfully. “I know now, but Loki had suggested that we should go to Jot-“

Kara snorted and stopped him by placing her hand over his mouth. “Thor, before you say anything more think carefully to what Loki actually said.” She made him pause and think. “You and I both know Loki would have been very careful in how he approached you when you are enraged as you were yesterday.” She gave him a stare of reproach when it looked as if he would argue. He settled back into a pout as he did in fact remember Loki was the only one of his friends who dared get within striking distance when he had been raging in the feast hall. “He is called Silvertogue for a reason Thor. Only he can talk you down from a raging temper, but he would have said what you needed to hear, if you were truly listening.”

Thor replied after thinking hard for a minute. “He said that he agreed we needed to do something, but we couldn’t without going against Father.” 

“Something,” She emphasized for him with a disappointed frown, “but not let’s re-ignite the war, or let’s regain honor by going to Jötunheim. He knew would happen to the peace treaty if anyone from Asgard were to step foot on Jötunheim without a proper emissary from Asgard or an invitation from King Laufey.” She reminded him sternly.

Thor looked away once more unable to face the logic. He had never truly talked to Kara this way before. In some ways it reminded him of speaking with his mother or Loki when they were younger; before he became quiet and withdrawn, holding his opinions more and only sharing when asked. He felt ashamed of how he had spoken to Kara just the day before. “He tried to talk me down once I said we should go, but I thought he was being cowardly.”

Kara grumbled at his admission, he always assumed the worst of Loki and it seriously incensed her. She stated with her eyes closed with a pained expression. It aggrieved her to say it but Thor needed her now in a way he’d never needed her before. She would not let Frigga down by denying him when he was so in need. She had promised not to just two nights ago she would help Asgard in its hour of need, and Thor was certainly in need of her now. 

“Thor, you are family, so please believe me when I say I will help you anyway I can, but you need to be mindful of several things.” She stated calmly, her eyes still closed with a pained expression.

Thor looked up and paid attention to her words. “What must I know?”

“When I am in this form you need to address me as Lady Stark or Kara.” She said firmly as she opened her eyes and stared sternly into his. “When I use the glamor, I am using what is referred to down here as a secret identity. No one can know this image, or my regular appearance, are the same person. When I am not in the glamor, the humans have named me Supergirl, or Zor El. Can you do this please?”

Thor nodded slowly. “Which do I refer to as sister?” He asked quietly. Kara felt her heart flutter for a moment. He’d never acknowledged their bond, and even as much as she hated him most of the time he was hard to resist when he made his kicked puppy face. It was so like him to use his looks to his advantage, but considering his dismissal of their relationship just yesterday it was strangely empowering to see him so humbled that he was asking for her to reach out to him. She didn’t have the heart to deny him. She would give him a chance as she was sure her mother would beg of her if she was there to plead on Thor’s behalf.

“Supergirl,” She answered with a tiny smile. “She is the other world alien, like you. Kara Stark is just a human.”

“Do they know?” Thor asked gesturing to the others who were now aware Thor was awake, though they didn’t understand what was being said because they were conversing in Old Norse still. Erik had obviously caught a few words but Kara didn’t think he knew enough to understand the whole conversation.

“No, and they can’t find out.” She told him softly. Thor just nodded quietly, which was so strange to see. She’d expected him to be full of himself. Sitting here and explaining the situation seemed to be an eye-opening experience for him.

“Why were you banished?” She asked him, now very aware of the stares from the others.

“I took the Warriors Three, Sif and Loki to Jötunheim against the expressed orders of the Allfather.” He admitted shamefaced once more looking away knowing Kara would be disappointed in him. “Loki had managed to talk us out of a fight but one of them called me Princess and-“

Kara put up her hand to stop him from telling her any more. “How many died?” She asked with a look of profound sorrow that Thor was confused to see.

“I know not.” He admitted. “I took at least fifty warriors myself before Odin came.”

Thor looked down and waited for Kara to take several deep breaths. She would have to think about that later. Thor wouldn’t see a warrior’s death as a bad thing. She’d been young enough when she left Krypton to be conflicted. She’d had her morals deeply rooted in Kryptonian pacifism, but she’d lived most of her formative years among and gaining a warrior’s rank, and that included killing at least a few raiders in her time. Killing had left her in a state of confusion, and once she had attained her rank she had withdrawn from service. 

The Frost Giants yesterday had led an assault which had ended in death, and she agreed with Odin that it should have been the end of it. There was no proof it had been anything but a symbolic gesture. Against his king’s orders Thor had killed over fifty warriors because one had taunted him when he had been the trespasser. Laufey now had his justification for war, or reparations. 

Is that what he is after? She thought to herself. Reparations such as the Casket? Laufey is supposed to be the shrewdest of his people. Did he send the three knowing is was a waste in hopes of causing a breach of the treaty so he’d have a shot at the Casket? He could easily claim it had been without his consent. But Thor and Loki attacking his warriors, Odin could not claim such a thing without leaving both Princes in a bad position politically.

Thor’s face blanched as Kara’s face took on a shrewd smirk as she wondered if that was indeed what Laufey had done. She was sure Loki and Odin both would see through such tactics, but Thor wouldn’t. 

“You have that same look Loki has when he’s thought of a horrible trick to play.” He muttered grumpily, his stomach growling at the same time just made Kara smirk change to a humorous one. 

“Jane, what do you have to eat here? Thor is quite hungry.” Kara asked in English to the physicist behind her.

Jane blinked a few times looking up from her new computer for the first time to see Thor awake. Darcy and Erik had been watching and staring as they spoke. “Oh! Hi! Sorry I hit you with my car.” She said in a rush.

Thor smiled and gave her a small nod, not understanding what a car was but to help make her more at ease. “All is forgiven.” He replied in Allspeak, meaning everyone else heard English while Kara continued to hear Old Norse, but with a slight accent that signaled the use of the magical language.

“Whoa! That’s great ‘cause I’d hate for you to hold the tazer bit against me dude.” Darcy chirped from her stool over by the kitchen table. “I mean you’re huge so it would be bad to hold that against little me.” She beamed a huge smile at him as she gave him a little friendly wave.

Kara laughed softly; she still found the incident hilarious and wished she’d seen the actual event instead of just the aftermath. “You tazed him?” She turned an evil smile towards him. That look told Thor he wasn’t going to like what the word ‘tazed’ meant.

Darcy laughed with her. “Oh yeah! Supergirl was laughing too, said he’d never live it down.”

“Why would I not ‘live it down’?” Thor asked carefully, not really understanding the younger woman’s words.

Kara chuckled and gave Thor an evil laugh making him want to either fight or flee from her. “She hit you with a Midgardian weapon designed to create an electrical charge that knocks people unconscious.”

Darcy took it out and waved it back and forth for the ex-Norse god to see. “Supergirl called it a ‘pocket full of lightening’.”

Thor groaned and dropped his head into his hands now fully understanding the evil look on his sister’s face. “Not one word of that must reach Asgard.” He looked pleadingly at Kara. “I really would never hear the end of the tales.”

Jane brought over a box full of Pop Tarts. “Sorry about the lack of choices. I need to go shopping, all I have is this and coffee stuff.”

JARVIS’s voice in the Stark phone earpiece she was wearing pulled Kara’s attention away from the conversation. “Ms. Stark, There is a large gathering of people around a small crater, near your current location.” Kara bit her lip as she thought about if she should respond. SHIELD would be all over it and she’d been so careful to circumvent their investigation teams and interrogation rooms until now as both Kara and Supergirl. Everywhere she turned this week they were there, too close to elude completely. 

“Can you tell what it is they are looking at?” She asked JARVIS. The others stopped what they were doing to look at her.

“It seems to be something imbedded into the ground inside a new crater about half a mile wide.” JARVIS answered. “No one has been able to lift the object and SHIELD is about to take control of the area around it.”

Kara sighed and ran her hand through her hair in aggravation. “Why am I only hearing about it now?” The others were whispering in the background but she ignored them.

“The object is slightly imbedded in the ground and satellite images suggest it seems to have fallen at the same time as the Bifröst activation last evening. It was SHIELD’s interested that drew my attention to this site. Brainiac has not detected any type of tech signature; however it is highly likely the object came from Asgard given both the timing and the depth of the brand new crater it is resting in.” 

Kara nodded absently. “Not blaming you JARVIS.” She closed her eyes and shuddered at the fact she was going to have to interact with SHIELD as Supergirl, something she made every effort to avoid. “I’ll head there now. It could be Stark Tech and I will be able to recover it if it is.” She said for the benefit of the others.

She turned to the group who were all staring at her. “I have to go for a bit.” She explained looking over at Thor as he popped yet another pop tart in his mouth. “Ask the diner to run a tab and take my card.” She said as she stood up and handed Jane a black business card with a phone number on it along with the Kara Stark name. “Have the diner call that number; the account tab will be dealt with.” She smirked at Thor as he inhaled the pop tarts. “And don’t worry if he eats everything they have, I can afford it.” Jane looked like she was about to object but then blushed and looked away as Darcy grabbed her jacket eagerly.

“Great, I’m starving.” She piped up.

“What is the reason you must go?” Thor asked after swallowing hard to clear his mouth. “I could be of help.” He suggested as he stood to his full height.

Kara hesitated but shrugged. “SHIELD has found a satellite crashed nearby last night, I need to check it wasn’t damaged by the Bifröst and to see if it belongs to the company I work for since I’m the closest person with enough expertise to do so.”

Thor’s eyes narrowed. “I shall accompany you then.” 

Kara glared at him. “As a mortal you can’t follow me Thor.” She stared at him with crossed arms. “Without your Asgardian strength and your little toy, you are useless and will only slow me down. Not to mention we need to keep you from SHIELD since they will hold you prisoner if they knew about you.”

Thor’s face fell, looking once more like a kicked puppy. The others were looking at her with looks of surprise, shame for watching the scene they were making, and feeling sorry for the big brute. Individually they were starting to put the pieces together about who she truly was, even Jane who had been a bit oblivious was getting in inkling that she was Supergirl. Kara had never had to hide who she was against this kind of scrutiny, and talking to Thor was making it even more difficult. Talking in Old Norse had Erik at least convinced Kara Stark was Supergirl regardless of the change in appearance.

Kara spun on her heel and left their headquarters and quickly mounted her motorcycle too fast for any of them to follow in their car, but not so fast as to appear inhuman. She sped out of town until she found a small abandon building slightly out a sight and changed into her Supergirl persona. She few high up to see the desert below. She could clearly see the crater about ten miles north of the Bifröst landing site, which already had a tent with desert camo netting over the mark left behind by the Bifröst beam. The edge of the crater was also being covered by white tents and surrounded by black SUVs.

Around the tents she could see the Agents of SHIELD ‘escorting’ a large group of people away from the crater’s edge as others were beginning to secure the area.

Not wanting to deal with the SHIELD personnel Kara landed quickly and with a small shockwave right beside the hammer. Everyone stopped to stare at the superhero as she took a deep breath and took ahold of the Mjolnir’s haft.

Kara’s eyes widen in panic as she felt the magical energies of Odin and Thor converge and pour their combined powers into Kara’s right hand. The sensation was overwhelming and so powerful it blocked off her sight. A white light was all she could see. Outside of her mind the seiðr started to transform her regular armor into a full gauntlet as the leading edge of the spell raced up her arm it became silver scale mail.

Kara threw back her head and screamed as the pain from the transformation began to overtake her. In her head she could hear Odin’s voice booming like the loudest crash of thunder, “Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.”

Clouds billowed as Mjölnir and Kara both were lifted into the sky, level with the edge of the crater. Slowly the rest of the transformation took place. Her armor was completely changed into a copy of Thor’s, right down to the length of his cape. Kara who had never had magical abilities of her own felt the foreign seiðr course through her body, changing its structure to allow her to use the powers of Thor. Channels that had never been suddenly burrowed their way through her limbs to the tips of her fingers and toes. Every cell answered the seiðr’s call and transformed to accept it as a part of her.

Kara didn’t know how long the pain lasted but when it finally ended she fell hard to the ground. Her sight and hearing was restricted by the helmet that now adorned her head and the armor she now wore was much heavier than her own, not that it weighed her down. Blackness overtook her as the pain still sparked around her head and through the nerves of her body.

Racing down the side of the crater was a plain looking man with a black suit, and another in black Kevlar body armor with a bow of all things coming slightly behind him. The first bent down and checked her neck for a pulse and found it slightly to the left of where he expected it to be. It was strong and a static charge erupted from her skin making his jerk away quickly.

“Ouch.” He cried out in surprise more than pain.

“Coulson?’ The other man snapped, trying to assess the situation.

“I’m fine. I’m fine.” He assured him. “Just some kind of shock.”

Kara began to moan softly and her body convulsed once. Both men backed away as she once more jerked and rose slightly into the air. The winds picked up suddenly, creating little dust devils around them and the clouds above began to gather supernaturally fast.

Coulson picked him his radio. “Get the tents and trailers setup now!” He ordered sharply. The agents on the other end snapped a ‘yes sir’. Immediately a small army of agents began to pull out panels and walkways from the tracker trailers and the mobile command center was unhooked and uncovered. Generators were lined up and gassed up and connected to the main hub in less than five minutes.

Coulson had managed to get close enough to touch Supergirl again but this time refrained. “What do you think Barton?” He asked the other agent.

Agent Clint Barton looked her over. “I have no idea what happened here.” He admitted as he watched a line of what looked like lightening run from her head to her feet. “One second she was picking up the hammer and the next she was engulfed in white light that as it moved across her body changed her armor from what it was to this.”

Coulson was intrigued. He hadn’t managed to see that much detail. “That’s amazing.” He admitted with a touch of awe in his voice.

Barton smirked at him. “Still believing in magic Coulson?”

“Hey magic is just science we haven’t figured out yet.” He reminded Barton with what for Coulson was a whimsical smile.

“Whatever this is knocked her out.” Barton remarked as he studied her form.

Coulson nodded slowly but his mind was working a mile a minute. “Of course we have no idea what it was-” He cut himself off when Kara’s groans became louder and she slowly floated back down towards the earth. As she touched down the dust devils swirling around them died down.

Barton stood slightly back of Coulson with his bow ready to draw, not that it would do him much good against the ‘Girl of Steel’ but it made him feel more in control. Coulson adopted his plain expression with a touch of warmth so as to not seem threatening in any way. Hawkeye usually teased him about seeming to be harmless was his superpower.

Her eyes snapped open and she blinked against the darkened sky. The clouds were now thick and dark overhead, unusual for the southwestern desert. She moved her arm up to shield her eyes as she looked around her trying to get her bearings. She quickly focused on Coulson. She knew him from the video feeds JARVIS had shown her of the agent when he visited Tony in the past. The man with the bow was new.

She quickly took stock of the pain in her body. There was an encompassing ache in each and every muscle. Her nerves felt a bit raw and she was aware of an increase in the weight of the armor on her chest that wasn’t there before. And of course there was Thor’s Hammer resting in her hand, magical vibrations oozed into her hand, making it tingle like pins and needles without the numbing effect. She tightened her grip instinctively as she heaved her body up into a sitting position and immediately felt nauseated. She swallowed hard and rolled to bring herself onto her hands and knees before she pushed herself up onto her unsteady feet.

They both watched her with looks of disbelief as she finally stood up with such obvious effort. As far as Midgardians were concerned nothing could take Supergirl out. Hawkeye had seen footage of a terrorist cell that had shot her almost point blank with a fifty caliber machine gun and it had only annoyed her. Many others had tried similar things and failed. Seeing her hurt was a unique experience.

Coulson’s eyes were wide and he looked very concerned. “Supergirl, are you alright?” He asked her, reaching out as if to help steady her as she swayed slightly, the movement obvious by the way her red cape swirled near her ankles dramatically.

She gripped Coulson’s arm carefully but firmly. Her equilibrium felt slightly off by the transformation. “I think so.” She whispered as she shifted the helmet so she could see around her better.

“Hawkeye, let’s get her up to the ridge.” Coulson suggested as he kept his arm out so Supergirl could use it to steady herself.

Hawkeye strapped his bow to his back in a fluid motion and moved forward, taking one of her arms and placing it around his shoulders while Coulson moved to do the same. When they both tried to move her they didn’t manage to make her budge an inch.

Hawkeye stared at her. “How much do you weight?” He groaned as the effort to lift her had felt like trying to lift a tractor trailer, and just as effective.

“About a hundred and eighty pounds,” She replied softly, her voice clearly showing signs of stress and pain. “But the armor is heavy, about six hundred pounds on its own.” She explained in panting gasps as the tingling pain continued to run up and down her spine and through her limbs, “This is much heavier than my usual gear.”

Hawkeye grunted as he adjusted to help her regain her balance and she started to walk forward with their guidance. Pain was still shooting through her, though with each moment it lessened. Movement seemed to help wash the pain out of her system.

“It doesn’t look that heavy.” Hawkeye grunted again as he put effort into supporting her as she began to walk forward with their help in stabilizing her equilibrium.

Supergirl took another deep breath. She was concentrating on not making a fool of herself by falling down as they walked to the bottom of the crater’s edge. “It’s not made of any metal on Midgard.” She told them. “Like my body, it’s denser and much heavier than it looks, though not as dense as the uru in the hammer.”

Coulson gave her a comforting look. “Are you going to be able to walk up the edge here?” He asked as they reached the bottom of the slope up.

Kara shook her head as she looked up the steep incline of the crater. “No, I am going to need a little time to adjust to the changes.” She checked she could still fly by lifting to her toes. When that worked she settled back down. “I can fly us up.” She answered as she moved her arms so they were under the two men’s shoulders instead of above. “Hang on.” She warned before lifting both men and herself slowly up to the lip of the crater before setting them down lightly. The pain was fierce as she lifted off and she groaned with the added weight being applied to her arms. The suited man kept quiet, but Hawkeye had yelped slightly as his feet left the ground.

As they ascended Kara wanted nothing more than to fall and lay down, sleeping away the pain. She hadn’t felt this weak or this much full on pain since she’d landed on Asgard. The short hop felt like she had placed a ten ton satellite in orbit rather than lifting two men up a hillside. She would need some time to recover and she knew she was not going to escape SHIELD this time.

She pulled back from them as they looked back at her. She gave them both a tight angry smile. “If you’ll excuse me for a second,” Both just stared at her curiously as she turned and stared up at the sky and started yelling in a language they didn’t understand.

“ODIN WHAT WAS THAT!” She screeched in Old Norse, no need for her to air Asgard’s secrets to SHIELD. “THE POWER OF THOR! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? I DON’T WANT THIS AND I DON’T NEED IT. COME DOWN HERE AND DEAL WITH YOUR WARMONGERING SON YOURSELF AND TAKE HIS POWER BACK!”

Everyone around the crater just stared at the irate Kryptonian as the sky grew even darker and lightning began to flash, striking the clouds next to each other in extremely bright flashes. Seconds later the sky opened and the rain fell so thick it felt more like water from a hose than the rain. The water was bouncing thigh high off the very dry ground and puddles formed in every indentation almost instantly.

“WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?” Kara fell to her knees in the newly formed mud at her feet.

Coulson approached her carefully and placed his hand on her shoulder. He wasn’t sure she felt his presence until she turned her face up to look at him. “Perhaps we should head inside and have a cup of coffee.” He suggested, his voice louder than the calm soft tone he wanted to project because of the winds and rain still pounding around them.

Kara nodded and slowly got to her feet. As she calmed the winds slowed and the rain petered down at a simple rain. Coulson took note of the phenomenon immediately. He hadn’t understood any of what she said but he had heard the name Thor, and he knew just enough to know Thor was a storm god of Norse legend. He’d have to break out his notes on Norse mythology to remember more.

The three began walking towards one of the trailers that had a compartment style office inside it. Kara was slightly impressed they had managed to get it all the way out here so fast. It looked to be one of several in a chain to create a mobile SHIELD base.

It took several minutes before they were all seated, complete with towels. Kara had taken off her cloak and helmet. They both hung outside so the cloth could drip without making the floor inside slippery.

 

Coulson started with introductions. “I’m Agent Phil Coulson, and this is Agent Clint Barton, codenamed Hawkeye.” He said with a smile. Hawkeye gave her a small smile and nod.

Kara gave them both a strained smile as she stood before Coulson’s desk. “I’m Honorary Princess Zor El Friggadötter of Asgard, Ambassador to Midgard from Asgard, and Daughter of the House of El of Krypton.” She chuckled slightly and giving Hawkeye a pained but teasing wink, “Codenamed Supergirl.” 

He smirked back with a nod. She was sassy, he could deal with sassy. She looked to be about twice his daughter’s age. That put him on alert. Teens could be an issue. Then again she hung out with Tony Stark and had been seen keeping him in line on occasion. She was a mystery to be sure.

Kara purposefully left out the ‘Kara’ portion of her name so as to not draw attention to her secret identity. “Please call me Zor El.” She told them.

Coulson nodded slowly, his eyebrows raised very high on his forehead. Hawkeye was better at hiding his surprise but even he reacted with a tightening of his posture. Phil gestured to the seat in front of the desk and Kara sank into it gratefully.

Phil and Clint both asked her to use their first names before they both settled in for the interview she knew she could not avoid any longer. The atmosphere of the room quieted as they all relaxed somewhat. She noticed had Coulson hit a button on his computer to begin recording the conversation.

“Can we get you anything for the pain before we start?” Coulson asked quietly. His approach was calm and non-threatening, which considering Kara’s obvious discomfort was a good thing. He turned to start a coffeepot that was on a shelf behind his desk to brew.

Kara shook her head. “It’s magical in nature.” She explained softly. “I’ll need a Soul Forge to determine what has happened and what I need to do to heal it. I am fine for now.” She gave him a warm smile, “But I’ll take a cup of that coffee when it’s ready.”

“Of course.” He answered automatically. Coulson’s eyes flickered with curiosity at the name soul forge but he kept his questions to the point.

“You’re an Ambassador to Earth?” He asked for clarification as she had said Midgard and he wanted it on the record that what her position was.

Kara shrugged with an indulgent look. “Asgard considers Midgard,” She paused for a moment to correct herself, “Earth to be a protectorate of Asgard.” She explained with what she had been taught was a diplomatic blank mask. She wasn’t very good at it, but she made an effort. “That meant until a member of the True Royal family ordered me to reveal the existence of Asgard, or the other Realms, Earth was to remain uninformed about the other Realms and races of the Universe. A thousand years ago you were deemed too young to be represent yourselves. At this time Earth still had not proven itself to be mature enough to join the rest of the Nine Realms. I was to report back on Earth’s progress towards your own journey.”

“And someone from the ‘True Royal family’ has done so?” Hawkeye asked in a manner that without her superhearing to tell her he was obfuscating that suggested he was the least intelligent person in the room. Coulson had a blank mask of his own that Kara was envious of that gave nothing of how he was thinking away.

She gave them a bashful smile. “Sort of, my brother exposed Asgard so I am ‘running with it’, as humans say.” Kara changed her stance suddenly to a stiff formal pose. “I don’t need to tell you that the Prince is under my personal protection?” She asked with a raised brow. “And as his protector and family member I would take any actions made by SHIELD to apprehend him because of his race as a personal attack on me, and my family.”

Agent Coulson tilted his head minutely in return. “Obviously.” He replied carefully. Hawkeye had stilled but his calm exterior never faltered. His body however had entered an aroused state; adrenaline was flowing readying him for an attack if she pressed them too much. Not that he could find an angle of attack but an arrow to the eye hadn’t fail yet.

Kara held up her new hammer. “This is Mjölnir, also known as Thor’s hammer.” Both looked at the hammer with widening eyes. Of course they had heard of the hammer. Everyone in the Realms had heard of it. “I don’t have the whole story. I can guess that since Thor was banished to Midgard without his flashy powers, which were locked up inside this,” she shook the hammer slightly before placing back on the ground at her feet with a very heavy thud, “that he has done something truly terrible, and this is his ‘prison sentence’.” Both men looked like she had confirmed a favorite secret conspiracy theory.

“The Gods of Asgard are real?” Coulson managed to ask, a little breathlessly but still close to his bland calm tone he was known for.

Kara wrinkled her nose at the word ‘gods’. “The beings are real.” She confirmed for them. “The stories are just that, fairy tale style stories. There are only tiny grains of truth in them.” She paused and considered Odin’s opinion of themselves as gods. “Odin, himself would tell you they are not gods,” She smirked, “Just longer lived than other races, especially Midgardians by several thousand years.”

“Can you give us an example of what the stories got wrong?” Hawkeye was more interested in what little intelligence they had could be counted on.

Kara sat contemplating for a second before deciding on starting from the top. “Odin is King of Asgard and is over five thousand years old. Frigga is his wife, and she’s about three and a half thousand.” She paused to give them a moment to absorb the amount of years she had just described as a single lifespan. “Loki is Thor’s younger brother by about three hundred years... Those four are the only members of the ‘True Royal family’. Baldr is a child one of Odin’s mistresses from before his marriage to Frigga. He is not considered a Prince or anything other than the rank he has earned on the battlefield. I believe he right below General Tyr.”

She gave them a quick overview of the culture and political structure of Asgard and a few stories which were much more believable than the myths while Coulson made sure to keep her cup of coffee topped up. She also told the truth about many of Thor’s adventures, the truth being that they were mostly one-sided monster hunts that were blown up feasting tales for the glory it brings them. By the time she had finished her tales an hour later she was feeling much more at peace and the pain had reduced itself down to a dull throb with each slow heartbeat.

“Honestly, Thor and his friends are really not much more than glory-hounds and bullies to those they deem weaker than themselves.” Kara said softly as she finished with a few basic tales of dragon hunting and bilgesnipe slaughters. “Thor was due to be crowned the new King of Asgard the day before yesterday, so the fact that he is down here before that happened without his powers means he’s done something extremely stupid, and Odin needs him to actually learn something.”

Coulson blow out a breath as he took in all the information. “So basically take the information in Mythology as just the names and possible rank as a guideline, but discard anything else in them is the lesson here.” He remarked with a soft unassuming smile, boiling down her stories to the basic point.

“Big grain of salt or a tiny grain of truth.” Hawkeye blew out a breath while pinching the bridge of his nose. Even with the watering down myths it was still unbelievable. Dragons for god sake! She had talked about dragon hunting like it was an everyday occurrence!

“Where do you fit in?” Coulson asked softly. He’d been dying to meet Supergirl for over a year now. He’d always arrived at the scenes after she had left. He liked that she always made time for the people she helped and especially kids, but had wanted so much to meet her. She always knew when they were coming and had left several times just as his car was coming to a stop.

Unlike Stark, who he did respect but only for his intelligence, Supergirl was more in line with his own hero worshipping mold for what a Superhero should be. Like Captain America it seemed she wanted to do the right thing. All of her actions had been life-saving or simply good, like stopping thieves, helping after natural disasters and even the little things like saving cats from trees (although he still got a laugh about the girl with a ball python named Fluffy she’d saved from a tree in New Jersey). Considering he was teased for being the biggest Captain America fan in SHIELD, his opinion of her being up there with his beloved Captain was one of the reasons Fury wasn’t as fanatical about stalking Stark more than he was already to find the elusive alien girl. She just wasn’t an immediate threat to the people of Earth. Coulson was worried if SHIELD pressed too hard they’d back her into a corner and she’d come out fighting, which was another reason he hadn’t told Fury about this interview yet.

“You called yourself an Honorary Princess?” He asked finally breaking his mask as a bit of his curiosity and excitement leaked out. He always loved these assignments. You never knew what you would learn about the world or in this case universe.

Kara told them a heavily edited version of her story. “I was seven when Krypton exploded.” She began. She told them about being placed in stasis and awakening as Thor pulled the front of her ship opened, disrupting the life-support. She told them about meeting Frigga who decided to foster her, but of her status as ‘Princess’ being more of a Royal Ward position rather than an actual official title. She told them how Frigga took over her training, and how Loki was later brought in when her powers began to manifest. Frigga and Loki were the only people on Asgard she really spent time with and cared for.

“When I came of age, I was sent to Midgard to complete my journey. I was made Asgard’s ambassador to keep Asgard apprised of your development.” She finished. She then looked at Phil’s computers and chuckled.

“For your records,” She continued with a smirk semi-hidden behind the rim of her coffee cup, “I am five foot nine inches tall. By looking my weight should be about one hundred and thirty-five pounds, although I am actually one hundred and eighty-two because my body is denser than a human’s. I’m obviously blonde with changeable blue eyes. Emotions darken or lighten the color a little… The S symbol on my chest is actually the Coat of Arms for the House of El, spelt E L in your western alphabet.” She explained with a laugh as Coulson’s light blush at being caught recording the interview. Her shrug let him know she hadn’t minded. She contently sipped the still warm brew.

“The colors on my armor are the colors of my house, not of the Asgardian House of Odin, though I honor them with the etchings on my bracers.” She continued, “Colors are just as important on Asgard as they were on Krypton. Bright colored cloaks often mean a particular person or rank. Thor’s colors are red and silver obviously.” She sneered looking down at her current armor. “Mine are normally my regular red and blue with gold decorative embellishments. Wearing someone else’s colors also has meaning. Usually it would designate an alignment with another of higher rank for a single purpose, or alliance.”

“So it is a heavily regulated thing, wearing colors?” Hawkeye asked with a cock of his head.

Kara bowed her head in acknowledgement, “Much like wearing that symbol on your chest.” She nodded her chin towards the SHIELD symbol near Hawkeyes’s shoulder. “It symbolizes who you are and what you stand for.”

“Does Asgard use crests like yours?” Coulson inquired.

“Yes.” She replied with a sharp nod. “Houses will use them for correspondence and each member would have their own symbol attached to the bottom to designate that person.” She took a piece of paper and quickly sketched the House of Odin with her own S underneath. “This would be my personal crest for example.”

Hawkeye took the picture and looked at it closely before handing it to Coulson. Coulson gave it a quick look than placed it down beside the mouse of his computer. Kara almost laughed out loud at how little they were trying to hide their actions now. She liked this unassuming agent more now. He was as honest as he could be in his position and so far very honorable. Both were traits she respected as was his dedication to his responsibilities.

“I am still documenting my powers.” She paused as she contemplated how much to tell them and decided on only disclosing those she had used in public. “I can move and fly faster than any measurement you have, except light but it is still developing. I don’t have a place to safely test the max speed so it’s an unknown and likely I will never know. I can easily pick up close to seven hundred and fifty tons. My heat vision can melt any substance I have found on Earth so far. My ice breath, I can’t really tell you much about that one. I’m not sure how that one works yet.” She admitted. After the bad reaction she’d had from the people of Asgard she’d shied away from actually exploring it until she got to Earth so she was still learning her limits with it.

“I can eat thousands of calories in junk food and never gain an ounce of weight. “She chuckled as their eyes both grew and a flash of envy flew across Hawkeye’s face briefly. “I’m pretty proud of that one.” She giggled with a wink as she placed her empty cup on the desk. Coulson and Hawkeye managed a weak laugh.

“I can also drink anyone and everyone I have ever met under the table, even Stark.” She smirked. That one wasn’t exactly true. While she was able to burn through alcohol faster than Stark he was able to function much better than her when drunk.

She waited for them both to take a few moments to absorb all she had told them. “That’s all I’m willing to let Fury have right now.”

Coulson blinked a few times before bashfully stopping the recording. “Sorry about that, but-“

“You’re a SHIELD Agent. It’s your job to protect the Earth.” She interrupted him with graceful wave to show she took no offence. “You’re good at your job, even Stark admits that.” She smiled genuinely at him.

Hawkeye raised a brow at her. Kara grinned back. “I don’t think he’s met you before Agent Barton.”

Hawkeye chuckled, his arms crossed over his chest in a loose manner made him seem less alert but Kara knew he was still ready to jump into action if he needed to. “True.” He looked embarrassed for a moment. “When Coulson asks for your autograph can I get one too?” He breathed softly. The question was almost inaudible to a human. Coulson hadn’t even noticed. Hawkeye looked completely bashful to be asking for such a thing. He knew if he told his wife and daughter he had met the Superhero and didn’t get her autograph he’d be sleeping on the couch for a month and that wasn’t something he was willing to endure.

Kara minutely nodded her head to him but kept his request confidential. She knew she had confirmed her super-hearing to the agent but he didn’t seem to care she was keeping it quiet.

After signing autographs for both of them (and using slight-of-hand to pass the second one off to Barton) Kara let them walk her out. Coulson turned to her and stuck out his hand. “Thank you for meeting with us. And I am glad to see you are feeling better.” He added almost shyly.

Kara took it and shook it firmly with a grateful grin. “Thank you for understanding about my foster brother and for the coffee, it helped to just sit for a bit.” She replied. “I will do my best to keep him from causing too many issues for you.”

Coulson looked a little uncomfortable. “Just where is your brother currently?” From the little tells he was giving away at the moment Kara knew he already was aware of the answer.

“With personal friends,” Kara answered with an edge to her tone, “Friends who have enough to worry about trying to take care of Thor while I take care of an issue on Asgard.”

Coulson nodded stiffly but smiled blandly, “Of course, just trying to avoid any misunderstandings.”

Kara nodded and sighed. “Yes he is with Doctor Foster.” She admitted to him. “Please do not approach them again.”

Coulson nodded slowly, “The large man who was unable to be awoken would be Thor?” He confirmed.

Kara nodded. “I had given him something to keep him unconscious until I could deal with him. I sent someone I trusted to look in on them.” She stepped outside and took the still wet cloak and attached it to the armor once more and placed the helmet back on her head.

“Good to meet you finally Agent Coulson.” She said with a much warmer voice. “Tell Fury if all our interactions are this pleasant I will not avoid SHIELD so fervently.”

Coulson genuinely smiled. “I will do that.”

Kara took off and flew to the tent covered Bifröst site. Several agents came out, none of them bothered to point their guns at her. “Supergirl? What are you doing here?” One of the agents managed to inquire after nearly swallowing his tongue in astonishment.

“You will need to pull the tents away. I am about to ask for the Bifröst to open. It will destroy your tents otherwise.” She warned them pleasantly. “This is the only site on this side of the planet so if you would be so kind…”

The agents looked at one another for a second before one asked for permission to do as she asked over the radio. Less than ten seconds later permission was granted and the agents quickly started taking the tent down and others moved some the equipment out and away from the seal. Kara pointed out how far they should move away and the agents were quick to do so.

While the agents were working Kara flew about twenty feet in the air and tried to ground her emotions and was glad to note the pain was not as great as it had been when she flew an hour and a half earlier. Now that she wasn’t talking to Coulson she found her emotions starting to rise once more. Taming her temper was going to be a necessity. While Odin likely hadn’t actually heard her tirade earlier, Heimdall had likely reported the gist of it. Odin wasn’t likely to care much but he was not going to accept her acting that way in his throne room.

“Brainiac, I am going to be heading to Asgard for a while.” She informed her AI.

“Understood,” Was his reply. There was a pause before the computer continued. “JARVIS thinks you should be aware that Mr. Stark is attempting to create a new element within the mansion at present and the experiment is quite dangerous as he is not using any safety measures.”

“What do you mean dangerous?” She asked breathlessly. There were times when she really wanted three of herself just to do everything she needed to do at once.

“He is creating a particle accelerator in his lab but he is balancing some of the tunnel on unstable materials such as piles of books.”

Kara nearly fell out of the sky at the shock of such an outlandish statement. She steadied herself and cleared her throat before she tried to speak again. “Excuse me?”

“You heard correctly Zor El,” Was the bland answer.

“Tony is building a particle accelerator out of his lab? Where did he get the parts for something like that?” She asked in astonishment. Even she’d have trouble making one with the parts she had in the Fortress.

“He has jury rigged items from his lab and yours.” Came the too calm reply.

“Jury rigged…” Kara started to hyperventilate, “Is he in danger of blowing up the neighborhood?”

“Probability of that is eighty-nine point eight five one percent.” Brainiac calculated, “However there is also a ninety-nine point eight five three six percent chance this new element will do as it is intended and save Mr. Stark’s life.”

“I should go to help him-” She stated as she looked down at the ground.

“Negative.” Brainiac informed her. “Fallout would be limited to the mansion and the surrounded land and no other civilians are within the fallout zone.”

Kara sighed as she rubbed her throbbing temples, “Why now?”

“Because Mr. Howard Stark’s idea was brought to Mr. Tony Stark’s attention by Director Fury,” Was Brainiac’s answer.

“Care to explain that?” Kara asked bewildered.

Brainiac proceeded to explain about the element search and the films that Director Fury and Agent Coulson had delivered the day before yesterday. He also told her about Tony discovering Howard’s idea for Palladium and that was what made Tony start building the accelerator yesterday.

“What are the chances he finishes it before I return?” She asked.

“It is already complete and he is running the testing sequences now.”

Kara rubbed her forehead and groaned. “And the readings?”

“There is a one hundred percent probability he will be done before you return.”

Kara wanted to scream in frustration but she knew it would scare the agents below her. “Fine I’ll try to be quick.”

When the agents were done a few minutes later Kara walked to the center of the Bifröst site. Without even needing to shout for Heimdall to open the Bifröst the clouds began to cyclone and the beam flashed down to take her to Asgard.


	6. Chapter 5:  Kara returns to Asgard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything is politics... Heroes and Villains, the difference is PR.

SoA Part 1   
By Sirya Black  
Chapter 5: Kara returns to Asgard

May 29th 2011

When she finished her journey through the Rainbow tunnel of the Bifröst she looked up at the gold clad warrior who was always there to greet and guard Asgard. “Welcome back Princess.” Heimdall greeted her with his head slightly bowed.

“Thank you.” She replied curtly. “I take it I’m expected.”

“Not at all. I have not yet sent a messenger as it is not required when you return.” Heimdall replied as calm and sounding as distracted as he always did when he looked beyond, always watching for threats. “The Allfather has fallen into the Odinsleep and your mother is staying by his side to watch over him as much as possible.”

Kara’s eyes widen and she nodded slowly. “I take it this was unexpected.” It certainly was to her. When she left two days ago Odin had looked tired but still spry enough to take on Thor’s temper tantrum over not being made King. Banishing Thor and dealing with Laufey must have taken a great deal of energy.

“The Allfather had been putting this sleep off for quite some time,” was his reply.

“So expected, but not scheduled.” She assessed.

Heimdall bowed his head, “Correct Princess.”

“Thank you for the update.” She said before she rose in the air to fly back to the Palace to speak with her mother.

Upon landing at the gate of the palace she was met by several of the Einherjar. They had been instructed to bring her to the Throne room if she arrived even though she had not been recalled. They escorted her to the room but did not enter with her. Kara saw Loki with Gungnir pacing in front of the throne. He seemed very distracted and agitated.

With her super hearing she could hear him muttering about Thor being back too early, ruining everything.

Kara sighed and walked forward, the sound of the doors closing caught his attention and Loki turned expecting to see Thor striding up the hall. The sight of Kara looking angry as a demon and dressed in Thor’s armor made him freeze and stare at her for several seconds, blinking quickly as he tried to process the image. Kara took off the helm and lifted Mjölnir up so Loki could see the hammer.

“Any idea why when I picked up this damn thing I heard Odin telling me I now have the power of Thor?” she practically snarled at him.

Loki blinked one more time very slowly, closing his eyes before his mouth started to twitch as he tried desperately to keep a straight face. Kara giving him a warning glare and growl seemed to be the push he needed to send him over the edge. With his mental status so close to the brink, his grasp on his pride and dignity dropped. He fell backwards into the throne with a loud belly shaking laugh.

Kara at first glared and then started shaking her head as he continued to laugh hysterically and drop Gungnir to the floor as his arms moved to hold his stomach. Kara’s face showed just how surprised she was by his response to seeing her. She had never heard Loki laugh like this. As time went on she could hear the hysterical edge that was creeping further into the laughter as it went on.

Kara finally grew concerned enough to approach him and she kneeled in from of him, dropping the helm and grabbing his hands. “Loki! Loki!” She called loudly. “Enough!”

He couldn’t seem to stop. His laughter seemed out of control and his magic was beginning to build around his hands. Kara sighed and lifted her hand to slap him sharply on the face. She accidently put a little more power in than intended and Loki’s head snapped to the side. His helmet and her gauntleted hand sent a sharp metallic clash reverberating through the hall.

He brought his hand up to his face guard as he turned it back towards her, faintly stunned from the blow. He stared into her eyes as she stared back waiting to see if she would need to slap him again. He managed to frown but nodded to her in thanks. Kara slowly stood and sat on the arm of the Throne as he turned his body toward her and picked up Gungnir from the floor.

“So, I take it this,” she waved her hand down her body signaling the armor, “was not something that was premeditated.” She glared with disapproval.

Loki chuckled softly as he took off his helm and rubbed his slightly reddened cheek. “I do not know what Odin had intended.” He admitted, still smirking at the outfit. “I don’t think he intentionally arranged any of what has occurred since yesterday. He was just so angry that he reacted rashly and now we are here, facing the consequences alone while he sleeps.” He admitted looking off at the memory in his mind. Replaying Odin growling at him when he had tried to take some responsibility, he’d actually been intimidated enough that he’d been forced to step back by Odin’s rage.

Kara shook her head slowly. “Not alone.” Her tone held a warning not to treat her as a child and Loki tightened his hand around Gungnir.

“Agreed,” He acquiesced. “Not alone, but without support from either the King or Queen.” He said bitterly. Kara knew he would be in a difficult position so she didn’t comment on his mood. He’d obviously been under severe strain to have laughed so out of control moments earlier, and his comments as she entered meant he was still dealing with some of the fallout from Jötunheim. 

Odin had rarely gotten angry as far as her recollections went, but the one time he had that she could remember, the man who had angered him had been severely punished for it, before being put to death.

“Thor suggested as much when he explained why he is on Midgard.” She sighed and shook her head. “What am I supposed to do with all this?” She wondered out loud. Only Odin could reverse the enchantment, or Thor had to earn his power back, but Kara didn’t know if it was even possible if she was controlling Mjölnir.

Loki chuckled playfully. “Learn to like silver?” He suggested sassily.

Kara narrowed her eyes but inwardly she felt a flutter at seeing him so happy and teasing. “If you want to end up in the Healing Halls I can accommodate you.” She playfully threatened him.

Loki smiled and sat back against the other armrest of the throne. His expression slowly faded into one of polite concern before flickering quickly to his regular smirk. “How is he?” He asked softly. To most the unease in his voice would be completely masked by his mischievous grin, as if Thor’s predicament was an amusing joke. Kara could see through it and rolled her eyes at the posturing when it was just the two of them present.

“He is good at the moment. I have him staying with some people who are going to take care of him and I have the government agent in charge of the investigation aware that he is under my personal protection.” Kara told him frankly. If Loki wanted more details Heimdall could give them to him later or he could send an illusion for an update.

Loki brought his fingers up to tap them against his lower lip. “Did he tell you what happened?” He asked almost absently.

Kara smirked at his tell. Loki always played with his lip if he was nervous and uncertain about things. She didn’t blame him. He’d known for a long time that Thor would be the King of Asgard. It was why Loki had made it his life’s ambition to help Thor by being his advisor and spymaster. Jobs and things Thor would need badly but he had no skills in those fields of ruling. Statecraft was fun for Loki and he knew the games better than most. 

Loki had started to despair during the past century that his skill would be wasted. Thor had stopped taking advice and counsel from him, instead listening to the whispers of the court and his friends who pandered to his vanity and glory-seeking. Thor had become more arrogant with each adventure, respecting Loki and his skills less with each year. It was the second reason why Loki had made plans to stay with Kara on Midgard for a while once Thor started to actually rule Asgard with Odin as his advisor first. After a while Loki would then return and gradually take Odin’s place, once Thor learned the value of such an advisor. 

Originally their plans had been based on Kara mortal aging. Loki would stay with her travelling the Realms, gradually moving back to Asgard as Kara’s adventuring days dwindled, and then to fully return to Asgard once Kara had died. It had been estimated that Kara would have less than a century, plenty of time for Thor to gain wisdom under Odin. Those plans had to be scraped once Kara had stopped aging but Loki had still wanted to leave Asgard for the first several years so Thor could rule without rumors coming between them. He wanted to spend time away from Asgard, learning the ways of the other Realms better so he could serve Asgard better. 

Spending time with Kara however was his main reason for wanting to leave. It was soothing to be with someone who loved him for who he was and didn’t wish him to be someone else, or different.

“He told me enough to know he has no idea what really happened.” She stated as she crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at Loki still drumming his fingers against his lip. “A break in that makes no sense, a trip to Jötunheim that was very carefully suggested in his ear… but not suggested outright… and a bit of treason against Odin… but his punishment is mostly for breaking a treaty over a thousand years old because of a ‘princess’ comment once you had already talked the Frost Giants into letting you go home with the treaty intact.” She summed up with a looked of skepticism as she crossed her arms across her new unadorned chest plate. She hated the fact the crest hadn’t transferred to the Thor armor.

Loki stilled in surprise that Thor had even managed to tell her enough of the truth that he had no need to correct much of the story. He carefully nodded his head as she finished. “That actually is pretty accurate.” He admitted with his surprised clearly showing on his face.

“The break in was a group of three that surprised the guards who were for some reason inside the vault instead of outside as they should have been.” He explained carefully as he thought over the events once more. He knew Heimdall would be listening to this conversation so he chose his words carefully. “If they had been outside the other guards nearby would have heard and helped to defend the corridor.”

Kara watched passively but could read his eyes. He was being too choosy with his words. “They took the Paths of Yggdrsill.” She stated plainly, clearly not asking, telling him.

Loki lowered his eyes and nodded. “I’m not sure how they knew of that path. It is one that leads directly into the palace from Jötunheim.” Kara was sure he was lying about how they knew to use the paths, but he obviously hadn’t told them to use that one. The situation was too convenient for him not to have been involved somehow. He’d moved too quickly at the coronation to not have known something would happen.

Kara snorted and shook her finger at him. “You and I both know that path was created by Odin’s mother over six millennia ago. It’s why the vault has guards at all times in the manner it is.” She had added that for Heimdall’s benefit. Bestla had used it as a way to visit her family before she abandoned her husband Bor and her sons, including Odin, to return to her people. Her defection had started the decline of the relations between Asgard and Jötunheim. Bor was a very unforgiving being, and Odin had much of his temper as a younger King.

Loki’s eyes widened minutely but he gave her a guarded nod. “I am aware.” 

“Did you remind Odin of that?” She asked. She began playing with the edge of the cape to keep her hands busy, their conversation was making her edgy. The material had a rich velvet look and feel, but was actually nearly as protective as her Kryptonian synthetic material. She found the soft fabric sliding over her fingertips soothing. 

Loki shook his head as he glared at her in annoyance. “No one mentions her in the palace, and you know this. I do not happen to have a death wish, nor do I wish to end up in a dungeon cell awaiting the Allfather to calm down enough to listen to reason and let me out again, nor did I wish to join Thor on Midgard without my seiðr.” He gave her a hard glare for even suggesting he mention Odin’s mother anywhere near the Allfather.

Kara shrugged and move to the next point. “You were careful to not suggest going to Jötunheim, but you placed the thought all the same.” She accused him carefully and with a very minor amount of rebuke. “You know how single-minded Thor is. Was it necessary to push it this far?”

Loki finally got up and began to pace once more. “What was I supposed to do?” He begged her to understand. She had a feeling she knew what he was about to say. He’d told her many times just how unsuited Thor was for the Throne at this time. He needed to mature and be more aware of the court side of being a King. Instead Thor had only ever learned the warrior side.

“Thor was insisting that we needed to retaliate, the coronation was being rescheduled, and Odin wasn’t listening to Thor’s talk of war with Jötunheim.” He stopped suddenly, spun and got right in Kara’s face towering over her, his eyes and face filled with anguish. “No one listens. He was going to restart the war unless I could get him to show Odin just how unready he was. What else was I supposed to do?” He beseeched her. “He would have re-started the war for his own personal glory!”

Kara placed her hand on his shoulder in a supportive gesture. “You told him you agreed Asgard should do something, not go and accuse Laufey of attacking Asgard without proof. I KNOW! and so does Thor. He admitted as much to me!” She assured him forcefully. It was obvious that Loki had done what he had for Asgard and for Thor himself, though no one but their mother would likely see it that way.

Loki blinked surprised once more by Kara’s support than the fact she had figured out his plans. He placed his hand on hers and gave it an affectionate pat and held it as he lowered it to his chest. The gesture told her how grateful he was for her lack of accusation in her statement. It never was a question to Kara that Loki had taken advantage of the situation. It was only a matter of if he had orchestrated the break-in, but really it didn’t matter. Any actions on Loki’s part where meant to be for the good of Asgard. Thor was the one who pushed for going against Odin and breaking the treaty. Loki did not directly suggest either to him. He was guilty of staging a break-in that was doomed to failure, and had ended up killing a few guards. That was a Wergild offence by Asgardian law, not treason as Thor’s own actions were.

Loki sat back down but kept Kara’s hand in his. He stared down at her silver gantlet against his gold and black one as he spoke. “I told him I agreed something had to be done, but we could not go against the Allfather’s decrees.”

Kara rolled her eyes and chuckled darkly. “And that is exactly what Thor decided to do.”

Loki sighed in exasperation. “I even told him no, that was not what I meant. Even Sif and the others told him it was folly. Thor wouldn’t listen. He convinced them we were only going to talk.” He laughed humorlessly, “As if Thor knows the first thing about investigating such a thing or of proper Parley protocols.”

Kara chuckled with him. “Of course, Thor was only going to Parley to a Frost Giant, and not try to kill them for the insult of breaking in to Asgard, and disrupting his greatest moment of glory in the first place.” She spit sarcastically.

Loki tensed suddenly. “He’d kill them for just daring to live.” He whispered softly. He seemed as if he didn’t care that Kara would hear him.

Kara looked at him sharply. Loki wasn’t known for being a supporter of Jötunheim any more than Thor was. Loki might not court war with the Frost Giants the way most of Asgard would, but he certainly had no respect for them either. Hearing him say such a thing, echo her opinion and sounding as if he supported their right to live was a surprise. She held the opinion that all had a right to live as they saw fit, as long as they did not oppress those weaker than themselves. Enforcing peace the way Asgard did was borderline tyranny to her, but with the exception of the Frost Giants, Asgard’s Nine Realms were peaceful. Shared laws and trade had made for welcome common ground for most. These days Odin rarely enforced Asgard’s might on the other Realms, mostly allowing them to govern their Realms as they saw fit, within the law.

Kara didn’t get a chance to ask another question as the Warriors Three and Sif barged into the throne room and all but ran forward. Sif was the first to come to a dead stop as she took in Kara wearing Thor’s colors, styled armor and Mjölnir sitting at her feet.

“Loki! Kara! Where are Thor and the Allfather?” She all but demanded of them when the four warriors all stood together before them. Her glare at Loki for daring to sit on the throne was heated and hateful. The others were more guarded but not as outright hostile.

Loki sat up regally and took Gungnir up once more and looked down on them. “The Allfather has fallen into the Odinsleep, and Thor remains banished on Midgard. Kara was here to update me on the lodgings and other arrangements she has organized for him so that he will be cared for while he is a mortal on Midgard.”

Kara stood and crossed her arms staring just as hatefully back at Sif. “Unlike some, Thor of Asgard at least was grateful for my assistance.” She snarled at the warrior woman, reminding the woman that while banished Thor was not a Prince of the Realm.

Sif and the others looked at each other before the much more diplomatic Volstagg stepped forward. “We were hoping to petition to have Thor’s banishment ended as his intentions were not to harm Asgard.”

Loki shared a look with Kara before he stared down at Thor’s friends with a blank stare. “To what end?” Kara asked before Loki could start a fight with the warriors.

Volstagg looked confused. “Pardon Princess?” He asked respectfully. The others were also confused as to why Kara had spoken up.

“To what end?” Kara repeated less aggressively. “He was sent to Midgard to learn to control his temper and to learn that those weaker are to be protected, not slaughtered.” She pointed out to the oblivious warriors. “By making him mortal and placing him in my care he will learn these lessons and that war is not always the answer. He will learn diplomacy has merit and that his hammer is not just for smashing things.” She said as she lifted the hammer and placed it back on her belt.

The warrior’s eyes all widened in disbelief as Kara easily handled the hammer. Loki hid a smirk as Kara tore their arguments apart. He agreed with the lessons that Kara had laid out. He knew they were likely not the lessons Odin had meant for him to learn. Even if all Thor learned was those lessons had a purpose and a place then he’d consider the banishment a good thing for Thor.

“Surely he could learn these lessons here.” Sif cut in once she managed to take in a breath.

Loki scoffed and gave her a look of derision. “He hasn’t managed in the last thirteen hundred years, and yet you think a day and a half on Midgard has taught him he should take all his lessons of statecraft as seriously as he does war?”

The others looked back to Loki and their faces hardened. Kara knew cutting Thor down had lowered their expectations and their willingness to listen. Sif didn’t disappoint when she glared and demanded, “We will petition the queen directly then.” She lifted her chin defiant of both Loki and Kara’s authority.

Kara sighed and turned her back on the warriors and lowered herself to her knee and gave Loki a salute. “With your permission My King, I will go and pay my respects to the Queen before we continue our private audience as it has been so rudely interrupted.” Unlike the clueless idiots behind her she knew what the significance of Loki holding Gungnir and sitting on the Throne represented.

She could hear the startled movements and quick hissing intakes of breath at her declaration. Loki gave her a grateful and fond gaze before he gave the formal nod of dismissal. “Please let mother know I will join her in the Allfather’s chambers for dinner. I know she does not wish to leave his side while he is failing.” He answered respectfully. His words warned Kara about how dire Odin’s situation was at present. Kara gave him a curt nod, but her eyes filled with tears for him and her mother’s fears for the older king.

She stood and backed one step away before she walked to the door near the throne used only by the Royal family as it was a quicker route to the family floors of the palace. She heard Loki return his attention to the warriors before she closed the doors.

“I realize the politics is not your forte so let me explain” Loki had begun. “I want Thor here as much as anyone, but I cannot have my first ruling as King be to undo the Allfather’s last. Not only would it be impossible, but Thor cannot return as a mortal if he ever wishes to be the rightful King of Asgard once he completes his banishment, and yes, I expect him to complete his banishment and return.”

Kara doubted the Warriors would understand or care that Loki was being sincere. He literally could not undo Odin’s ruling as he backed it with the Odinforce. Without full control of the seiðr of Asgard Loki could end up stripping Thor of his powers and immortality permanently. Using all the power of the Odinforce would change and mutate it into the Lokiforce. In changing the essence of the seiðr so fundamentally in order to have full control over it, would strip Odin of the power that was at present feeding him life-force seiðr. Whether they knew it or not they were requesting Loki kill Odin to possibly end Thor’s banishment. As much as Loki loved Thor, he would never do that. Even if it meant that he would be forced to become the next Allfather. Loki’s biggest fear was to be tied to Asgard without the ability to travel and learn. Becoming king was not his goal in life. Being told he would be a worthy king was. Something Odin had never realized but Kara had long ago.

She stopped listening and rushed to Odin’s rooms. The guard allowed her to pass and she walked into the room where her foster mother watched over Odin.

“Kara!” She exclaimed as she got up to greet her. Kara hugged her tightly.

“I am so sorry to hear about all this.” Kara whispered in her ear.

Her mother cupped her face. “Thank you for coming.” She looked over Kara’s attire. “I am guessing that Odin’s sleep wasn’t the only reason for your visit.”

Kara sighed and they both sat at Odin’s bedside. “No, I didn’t hear until I got here about the Odinsleep.” She placed Mjölnir down and Frigga began to giggle.

“I see.”

Kara rolled her eyes. “Yes, Loki also found the sight amusing also.”

Shadows crossed her mother’s face at Loki’s name. “How is Thor?”

Kara snorted both with amusement and anger. “He had a rough start, but I have taken care of things so he will have a place to stay and food to eat. I have arranged for a vocation to help him learn what it is like to be a mortal while he tries to become worthy of Asgard once more. The position would but him in the care of a scholar who is studying the Bifröst.”

Her mother’s face softened with pride. “I thank you for taking care of my son. It was only your presence on Midgard that comforted me when I heard the news he had been banished there.”

Kara sighed and smiled. “He is my brother is he not?” She asked poignantly given that had Frigga asked Thor that same question yesterday his answer would likely have been no. She also phrased her answer in such a way so Frigga would know Kara was fulfilling her oath to her personally.

Frigga’s eyes filled with tears. “Yes, it seems he finally is.” Her happiness warred with the concern she felt for her husband lying in state, deathly pale and breathing shallowly.

“Oh, don’t cry mother.” Kara said softly as she held her tighter. “You know I would never abandon anyone who needed me.” She cooed comforting her with her assurances.

Frigga laughed softly through her tears as she pulled back and her gaze flicked to Odin’s face before focusing once more on Kara. “You said he had a rough start?”

“He freaked out a little Midgardian girl who had a weapon used to knock out attackers. She hit him with it. It uses a form of harnessed lightening.” She managed to keep a straight face even in the wake of her mother’s choking laugh.

“But how did you end up carrying Mjölnir?” she asked. Kara told her the story of the advancements of Midgard and the agency of SHIELD and her efforts to protect both Thor and Mjölnir from their clutches and the voice of Odin as she picked up the hammer.

“Thor’s powers will likely return to him when he proves himself worthy again.” Frigga concluded from the story.

Kara nodded thoughtfully accepting her mother’s reassurance. “I hope so. I haven’t had a chance to check but I think picking up the hammer has altered me a little. There was a great deal of pain and I blacked out from the effects of the change.”

Frigga nodded slowly with hope burning in her eyes. “I can feel an aura of godhood in you now.”

Kara looked away from her with a hint of fear. She refused to allow that hope, it would mean she might return to Asgard permanently. She wanted a home very badly, but Midgard was quickly becoming more of a home than Asgard had ever been, even if it didn’t have the people she loved most there. Tony and Pepper, even JARVIS were quickly becoming a new form of family too, but Frigga was as much her mother as her birthmother, Alura. If Asgard had been more accepting she would have accepted it as her own home and long to return.

“That could be from the Midgardian power manifestation.” She hedged. She knew her mother would disagree and likely knew something Kara did not, which always frightened her.

Frigga shook her head as she cast a spell over Kara’s head and shoulders. “No, this aura is different. It is of this universe, of Asgard, not your home Realm, my darling girl.”

Kara’s adrenaline spiked with fear, anger, and as much as she wished it had not, hope. “The Odinforce made me a goddess?”

Frigga nodded slowly but her happiness shone through her eyes, glistening with tears of joy. “It’s not powerful enough to give you our full lifespan, but with your Midgardian powers of healing, you should easily live as long as us now.” Peaceful bliss filled her face as she looked on Kara and touched her cheek lovingly. “I didn’t think this was possible! It’s never been done before.”

Kara pulled away from her and looked down at Odin’s form with an air of confusion and anger. “Never been done, or never attempted?”

Frigga exhaled quickly and looked down at her hands. Two of her children were now angry at her husband for his bad handling of their childhood. It was not a great end to her exhausting day. She steeled her nerves and began to explain. 

“Kara, you must understand… mortals are so short lived, if the Norns had not asked I too would have been wary of becoming so attached to a mortal child. Every morning it was as if I had missed weeks or months of your life.” She explained to Kara the anguish she had lived with since Kara had come into her life.

“Every day I could see you growing older, closer to a death I would live to see,” Her eyes were filled once more with tears, only these were tears of remembered heartbreak. “He was only trying to protect his family from that anguish. If he had told me that he might be able to extend your life, I would have demanded he do so, and if he failed I’d have never forgiven him for giving me that hope then dashing it away.”

“B-but b-by not trying-” She stammered she couldn’t even imagine what her life here would have been if she had been accepted. She had been shunned for being mortal!

“Who said he didn’t try, or look into it and decided the chance was not worth the risk of interfering with your destiny?” Frigga asked her as she wiped the tears from her face. “If he wakes we can ask him.”

Kara looked away from her mother disappointed. She loved Frigga very much, but her habit of excusing Odin’s choices and behavior was grating. Anytime one of them had disagreed with Odin they were assured he knew best, or his actions even if they seemed cruel were actually not. 

She knew the stories of how Odin’s cruelty against his own brother had ended in Ragnarök while her mother did not. Knowing how Odin would have turned out if Loki hadn’t been born since in her own universe, she refused to believe in his benevolence without proof.

In all the stories, the only major differences between the histories (not the legends and myths) regarding Odin seemed to be that this Odin didn’t have a frost giant adopted brother Loptr, whose children he killed or banished… and the birth of Loki. With Loki’s addition to the family this Odin had become gentile, and kinder than the one in her universe. 

In her own universe the stories of Odin were of a cruel King, who seemed to thrive on pitting Asgard against his own mother’s people in revenge for her leaving Asgard, and him. He took that anger out on his adopted brother and his children most, ending in Loptr finally turning on his brother by uniting the rest of the Realms against Asgard. 

In this Universe when his mother had left, the abandonment soured his disposition against the Jötunn people, but not enough to warrant War against a dying race. He did not have a brother and his brother’s family on whom he could direct that rage against, instead he pursued the betterment of Asgard through peace, and the raising of a son he never had in her own universe.

“How certain are you he is dying?” Kara asked kindly and with true concern. As angered as she was she did not want him to die, too many people she loved, loved him. She didn’t wish to see them in such pain. The timing if he passed now would be horrible since Thor would not be able to come say goodbye or attend the funeral, and Loki would be forced to become King.

Frigga’s face flickered with pain and fear for a moment before her queenly mask rebuilt itself. “It’s a serious possibility.” She answered carefully. “We were so unprepared, but the exertion in banishing Thor and then the argument with Loki-” She trailed off and looked away as if ashamed of her confession of Odin’s weakness.

“You’ve looked?” Kara asked astounded. Frigga was bound by the rules of fate as a seer. She could never come out and tell anyone what was going to happen, but she could nudge events so the best possible solution was found.

Frigga’s eyes got glassy as she held back tears. “In this case there are too many variables in play for me to see clearly. Most end badly.” She admitted softly and she clutched Odin’s hand tighter.

Kara came around the bed and hugged her tightly. “And you are directly involved.” Seers never could see their own fate. It made looking into Odin, Thor and Loki’s futures uncertain most of the time. Kara was now on that list too. If Frigga had been able to see Kara’s fate she would not have been so surprised when Kara came in with Thor’s powers.

The two sat in silence for a while. Frigga finally asked for Kara to tell her of what had been happening recently. Kara told her about Tony and his fight with palladium poisoning. The things that had been happening with SHIELD interference and the fact he was attempting to create a new element to power his reactor according to Brainiac.

Frigga was impressed with the advancements the humans were making in such little time. The two hours they sat catching up went quickly. Loki joined them as dinner was brought in. Having seen many of the advancements Kara was talking about he’d joined in in discussing the humans and their propensity for war, capitalism and governments that didn’t work for the people.

“Honestly they need someone to rule over them until they can see beyond their own tiny lifetimes.” Loki had sniffed with distain. “They are killing their Realm and have lost touch with Yggdrsill and it is beginning to erode their connections to the other Realms.”

“As did most of the other Realms before they became part of the larger community.” Frigga had reminded him. “Asgard herself is the result of such a cataclysm.”

Loki had stiffened but then bowed his head to her slightly to acknowledge her point. “One that resulted in the deaths of millions,” He responded thoughtfully. “In Midgard’s case the result would be billions. Likely over half their population and more likely over three quarters would die in the same type of revolution.”

Kara’s sighed and looked down at her hands. “They are too fractured to come together even if Asgard were to place someone as a King to rule them.” She shook her head at the thought of Tony or even Pepper willing to bow down to a King. “There are many cultures and they are so fragmented by their ideas of race, religion, culture, national identity, and sexism that the chances of the population not rebelling on a world wide scale has already been proven by their two World Wars. In the case of the Second World War it was limited to only one continent at the start. The Western World, what humans call the more developed countries, banded together to fight them bringing that fight to the other side of the world.”

“Their cultural diversity is no different than the development of the other Realms.” Frigga frowned at the turn of the debate. “The amount of death that is part of the growing cycle of a Realm is distressing. They must come together as one people before they will be ready to join the other Realms.”

“Does it really have to be that way?” Loki asked her thoughtfully. “Thor and Kara have outed Asgard to the Governments of Midgard. As a protectorate Asgard could install a governor at the very least to guide them into the World government they need. They have a framework in their United Nations to work as an advisory board.” He suggested. “Surely as the advanced race and their superior in our established Protectorate relationship it is our duty help guide them properly.”

“I wish it could be that simple.” Kara shook her head in frustration. She always felt powerless when the topic came up. “The Middle East is an example of their extreme viewpoints. Getting them to agree has been impossible so far and it isn’t even a huge part of the population of Midgard as a whole. An advisory board of hundreds of waring countries would be a nightmare to deal with. Even with your silver tongue there is no hope of them agreeing about anything other than not wanting an alien being in control.” She snorted at the image of Fury even being told a governor from Asgard would be coming to ‘take the humans in hand’ and guiding them into a world government.

Loki rolled his eyes at the backhanded compliment. “Examples would need to be made of those unwilling to conform to the World Government.”

Kara shot him a disappointed look. “Killing them isn’t going to do anything but reinforce the need of the humans to come together to rebel against the new governor.”

Loki smirked as if that was the point all along. “Making them a single people without half the deaths a Realm cataclysm would require.”

Kara chuckled and shook her head. “They wouldn’t see it that way and it would put them at odds with Asgard for a very long time. The other Realms might take their rebellion as an invitation to invade.”

“By measure of their lifetimes maybe,” Loki admitted, “But it is not like we will not outlive the rebellion and then we can introduce them to the rest of the Realms when they are ready in several of their generations. It would only take a hundred or possibly two hundred years. The other Realms would not want to interfere while the rebellion is going on and humans are not such a threat that the war would strain Asgard overly much.”

Frigga agreed silently and bowed her head to the point. “They would still hate whoever was placed in power, and Asgard for all that time. Possibly making our relationship once they are ready tedious at best.”

“Their histories have proven that.” Kara reminded him. Thinking of Fury again she wondered if the relationship between Midgard and Asgard would become like Israel and Palestine afterward. 

Kara moved onto a new area of contention. “Most of the remaining monarchies on Midgard are nothing more than figureheads, not truly ruling their territories. They would never create a dynasty like Asgard or the other Realms have in part due to the shortness of their lives. Currently the governments with the most power are democracies. I can’t imagine the Realms being stable if the Realm is changing its leadership every four or so many years.”

Loki threw up his hands in mock outrage. “I am trying to discover a way to shield them from killing themselves. Why does that make me the villain in this regard?”

Kara looked away haunted by the explosion of her own planet, “Because until it happens to them they will never hear you.” She whispered with her eyes squeezed tightly shut as the images flashed past. “They will never understand that the delicateness of the Realm rests on the edge of cliff and one solid push would destroy the planet in a single moment.” The room was quiet for a long moment.

“Kara! I’m so sorry-” Loki’s voice filled with regret and sorrow for making her remember.

She shook her head quickly. “Not your fault.”

Loki looked away in shame. “I wish we could find a way to solve this problem.” He rubbed his eyes with his fingertips. “There has to be a way to bring them forward now that you are there.”

Kara shook her head with a miserable look of hopelessness. “Even Stark; as rich and famous as he is doesn’t have the kind of influence needed to get everyone to pull together. Though if anyone could get a large amount of countries on board, it would be him,” She laughed and shook her head. “No actually it would be Pepper who would do the negotiating on his behalf. Using his name would bring everyone to the table if he had something for them.”

Loki looked intrigued and leaned forward. “How would she do such a thing?”

Kara looked at him blankly. “I’m not half as good as she is at coming up with this type of thing, but I imagine she would offer them something they want, but could only get under Stark Industries. When it comes to countries though, that would be a bit different. I honestly don’t know how to do it.” She gave him a bewildered look. “There has to be something in it for them, otherwise they will never agree to anything.”

Loki waved her concern away looking disappointed but calculating as if she had given him an idea. “Capitalism as a class system, that’s what happens, greed rules all.”

“How are we any different?” Frigga asked him with a small smile of her own. “Money and land made our nobles. Crafters and merchants are our middle class, same as Midgard’s. Our poor are the same as their lower class.”

Loki frowned as he formed his argument. “There will always be class systems in a social society, but what the elite do with their obligations is where the differences lie.” Loki waved her arguments away. “We protect our people. We feed them when the land does not provide. We defend all who look to us for protection. We heal those we can. We look after our wounded warriors when they no longer can fight due to age or injury.” Loki argued eloquently. “Capitalists do not. At least Midgardian capitalists do not.”

“Some do.” Kara reminded him. “I know for a fact Stark Industries gives millions to several charities who do all those things. And that’s just the one capitalist I know personally.”

Loki laughed. “You also give most of your own earnings.”

Kara nodded and smiled. “But as you said, I learned that here. I do what I can to take care of those that I should. That is my own choice.”

Loki gave her a proud nod which made Kara’s chest fill a warm feeling of pride. “I am sure there are others too, but not enough of them. All the elite should be taking care of those that require it, and those that are capable of earning a living should. Too many of the people also live in poverty because they do not work even if they are capable. If they cannot find work they should be training as warriors to defend those in need.”

“They aren’t a warrior society.” Kara reminded him. “Their cultures are not a single one, nor do they need soldiers in the numbers that requirement would create.”

“Then they should be conquered and made to face the harsh reality of life.” He snapped with conviction. “Humans are too soft and they need to learn the truth of the universe or it will kill them and nothing will stop the cataclysm when it comes.”

Frigga’s voice was soft as she placed a hand on Kara’s shoulder. “The humans will either learn from their mistakes and the mistakes of others, or they will not. It is the cycle, as our argument has demonstrated.” She told them with a soft but firm voice, ending the discussion. “If the story of Krypton does not change them, nothing will until they do so for themselves.”

They sat quietly for a few minutes before Frigga broke the silence, “Kara mentioned the Warriors Three and Lady Sif petitioned for Thor’s return?” She questioned Loki trying to move them on from the last conversation.

Loki told them that he’d forbidden them from going to Midgard and to prepare for a possible retaliation by Laufey. “He will try to press his advantage now that the Allfather is asleep.” Loki scowled as he remembered something Laufey had said. “He knew the Allfather was due to sleep. He mentioned that he looked tired when they spoke.”

Frigga looked concerned. “Are the pathways closed?”

Loki shook his head. “Some of those paths are so old they will never fully close.” He gave his mother a look, with it a message passed between them that Kara didn’t understand. “They are as well guarded as can be. I have blocked the most dangerous ones, but a strong enough seiðr user or several working together could reopen them.”

“Have you spoken to the advisors about what to do about Laufey and the situation with Jötunheim?” The queen asked.

Loki gave her a hard stare. “They wish to wait for the Allfather to awaken.” Kara got an uncomfortable feeling and went to excuse herself but Loki quickly stood at the same time.

“Loki, it is common to wait a few days at least. Often he comes out of the Odinsleep within three to four days when matters are pressing.” Frigga assured him. “It is not meant as a slight.”

Kara snorted loudly, and then looked deeply embarrassed as both turned to her. She could feel the blush spreading across her cheeks and down her neck. “Sorry.” She muttered.

Loki glared angrily at Frigga, “No Kara. You are of course correct in your less than articulate assessment. They do not think an untried boy has any right to make any decisions while the Allfather is incapacitated. Further they think that the Queen does not have the right to pass regency on to me because I am so untested and unprepared. After all it’s not as if I have fought in wars, studied, practiced at statecraft, drafted treaties and trade agreements, or prepared to be a King since I am only a secondary prince of no importance.”

Kara’s blood froze. She knew the advisors and she knew Loki. Those words were not his. The council had actually told him they would refuse to back him. It was Thor who was supposed to be king, even though Thor was banished. They would rather risk war with Jötunheim than listen to Loki as regent. Untested, untried, unprepared, and no importance were not words that described Loki at all and those old men knew it. They had said those things to hurt him and undermine him.

Frigga looked disappointed but not surprised. That further infuriated Kara, and if the tightening of Loki’s features was any indication he was incensed with her for placing him in such a position willingly. It didn’t surprise Kara when Loki turned and stalked out of the room a moment later.

“You never stand up for us.” Kara snarled at her. “You and Odin put us out there to be ridiculed and you never stand with us, you just watch us flounder.” She turned and quickly followed Loki out of the room.

“Kara wait, please!” Frigga called but Kara didn’t stop.

She stormed out of the room and glared at the guard outside. “Which way did he go?”

The Einherjar pointed toward the Royal wing. Kara quickly flew down the passageway until she caught up with him. “Loki!”

He paused in his stride but kept walking. Kara floated at his side until they came to the doors of his room. He turned to her with a blank look but still didn’t speak.

Kara returned his look with a steady glare. “You are my King.” She told him sternly. “I obey your commands as a warrior and an ambassador of Asgard.”

Loki’s eyes flashed and his rigid stance relaxed as he nodded his acceptance. “Come in.” He ordered.

Kara followed him into his receiving room and they sat by the fire. He seemed to be thinking and she let him put his thoughts in order. The silence would have been uncomfortable anywhere else on Asgard, but Loki had always been quiet, and sitting with him was anything but suffocating. As they sat his posture became more relaxed and his face less blank and saddened. His brow had a furrow that ran the length of his brow and his eyes were downcast.

“When did I become the untested youth and Thor the great king?” Loki asked in a low whisper. “I who studied, and who sat in on council meetings learning everything there is about governing over Asgard and the Nine so Thor would have someone he could trust to advise him.” His eyes never left the floor as he asked his questions. “Was I always so unobservant as to miss the unfavorable opinions of the time I spent learning from the most influential of the Allfather’s court?”

Kara stared at him in confusion. “I do not think any of this has to do with your age Loki.”

He lifted his head uncertainly and stared at her with an almost frightened look. “What does it have to do with then?”

“Power,” she spat, “They would lose power if they agree to you as king because they are your father’s advisors, and each new king of Asgard has their own council. They are old men used to having the King’s ear.”

Loki looked surprised by her answer. “I would have thought it was something else.” He looked away once more. “I wonder if they know the truth.” He breathed softly.

Kara stared at him waiting for him to explain his last comment. When it became obvious he wasn’t going to expand on it she shrugged. “Truth is a three sided argument.”

Loki’s head snapped up. “What? I have never heard that statement before.”

Kara smiled and relaxed a little more in her seat. “Truth is subjective. There is always three sides to every truth in every argument; yours, mine and unbiased or factual truth.” Loki stared over Kara’s shoulder into space as he pondered the statement she had made.

“That is a rather different approach to seeing the universe.” He muttered.

“Not really.” She replied softly. “You are just used to it being your truth or their lies.”

He’s eyes snapped to hers with uncertainty. “What is it you are trying to say?” His posture was slightly tense but still not angry. Something was making him skittish; it bothered her because she could rarely recall Loki ever acting this way.

“You rely on your ability to sense lies to tell you when someone is being truthful with you.” She clarified. She waited for Loki to nod before she continued, “When their truth doesn’t line up with what you believe to be the truth what happens?”

Loki blinked several times as he thought the matter over. “Nothing usually, if they believe they are being truthful it doesn’t register as a lie.”

“So the truth is what you believe it to be.” She stated. “It is also what I think the truth is.” Loki’s eyes sparkled in insight as he now understood the axiom.

“And the truth isn’t always as each side sees it, rather it is likely intermixed.” He concluded drawing the conclusion she wanted him to.

Kara nodded sharply. “Exactly, midgardian’s have many little insights such as that one.”

Loki stared thoughtfully into the fire. “So the old men are worried about being replaced you think?”

Kara blew out a breath as she rested her head on the back of the seat. “That would be my personal guess. I’d also say it’s the same with the Warriors Three and Sif.”

Loki’s whole body stiffened as he sat up in a painfully straight posture. “You think they will betray me?”

Kara snorted and looked deep into his eyes. “In a heartbeat,” Her deep sincere belief in her declaration struck deeply into Loki. His face crumpled in betrayal as he glanced away from her almost in a panic. “You are the one who told me they are only loyal to Thor and not Asgard. Surely you remember that?” She reminded him somewhat confused as to why he would think otherwise. Sif in particular hated them both.

Loki got up and began pacing. He stopped for a moment to cast a spell and Kara recognized it as a privacy spell. Whatever he had to say he did not want anyone, including Heimdall to hear it. “I need more time to prove myself.”

Kara watched him for several minutes as he paced and thought hard about his plans. “What are you thinking?”

“Is Thor any closer to actually returning?” He asked suddenly as her turned and stared at her with such intensity it made her shiver.

“No chance in Niflheim.” She replied seriously. “Before I’d left he’d only just awoken and I left my new friends to see to it that he was fed and housed until I return. He has no way of proving himself worthy… whatever that means.”

“So I have some time.” He muttered this time more to himself than to them both, still Kara heard him. Again she waited for him to continue. “I need a chance to prove I’d be as good, if not better at ruling than Thor.”

“Why and how?” Kara asked surprised by Loki’s assertion that he had something to prove. He’d never felt the need to show up Thor at such a drastic level. He’d only ever shot for equal or slightly better than him before. She couldn’t help but wonder what had changed, and if the King’s council words had affected him more than she’d thought. It was obvious that Loki wasn’t ready to answer that question so she wisely kept her own council. When he was ready he would tell her.

“I’m going to settle things with Laufey myself.” Loki stated firmly. “Draft a new Treaty.

Kara’s jaw dropped. “You’re going to renegotiate the Peace Treaty without the support of the Council? How the hell are you planning that?”

“By giving Laufey access to the one place he wants more than anything, Asgard.” Loki’s smile was almost sinister in its mischievous glee.

She continued to stare at him thinking he’d lost his mind. “Why?” Her thoughts on Laufey’s motives from before came to mind. What were they both up to?

“So I can kill him. Once Laufey is dead then the Realms of Jötunheim and Niflheim will be completely leaderless. The rest of the Jötunn do not have a clear leader.” Loki told her as he laid out the foundation of his plan.

“What of Laufey’s sons? Would they not take on his mantel of King and Warload, attacking Asgard and the other Realms with the peace accord turned to dust?” She inquired franticly. Loki was talking assassination! 

Loki shook his head slowly but his eyes were distant as he looked away. “No, the power base of each is split. The majority of the cutthroat killers of Laufey’s court are unlikely to support one over the other for quite some time. At worst the split would solidify by Realm, one taking Jötunheim, the other Niflheim . There would be plenty of time to subdue them if they try to come for Asgard, and there could be other challengers to consider.”

Kara sat back impressed with his conviction even as the methodology did not sit well with her. “It would take months to stabilize the Realms before they could mount an attack. Months you’d have to negotiate a peace that both Realms would jump at.” She marveled at him in awe. “You’ve really researched this.”

Loki smirked smugly and sat back down facing her. “Actually this has been well known for years. There was no reason to act on the intelligence we had gathered on Laufey before now. He seemed content to let his worlds crumble around him. We were honestly waiting for someone within his own inner circle to kill him before we moved on them.”

“What of Odin? What if he awakens before you get a chance to put your plot into action?” She asked with some concern.

“Mother doubts he’ll ever wake.” Loki looked completely gutted by that news, his eyes cast down to his feet as she gripped his thighs tightly, his knuckles white with tension. Kara couldn’t help but wish she could throw herself into his lap as she had as a child and hug him tightly. Instead she gripped the armrests so tight they creaked in protest. “I should have all the time I need.” He whispered with a touch of frightened despair.

“What of Thor?” She asked softly as she reached out and touched his wrist. “When his banishment ends, if you are still King, what will you do?”

Loki looked conflicted his eyes never leaving her hand. “If the banishment ends with him wiser and willing to listen… I will gladly abdicate.” He told her with a sigh of relief as the words passed his lips. His shoulders lifted as if the decision had been the heaviest of loads. “I never wanted all this-” His voice trailed off as he once more stared off into space.

Kara gave him a warm comforting smile of support. “I know, too many things to see and learn.”

He returned her look with warmth in his expressions that had been missing since she arrived. “I did promise to help you on Midgard as soon as Thor was ready.” He stood to take her hands in his.

Kara gave into the urge and hugged him tightly instead, burying her face in his chest, tucking her head under his chin. He hesitated for the briefest of moments before laughing softly and hugging her back. He kissed her crown and squeezed her to him before they both broke their hold and stepped back, hands still resting on the others forearms.

“Looking as you do should I call your Thora?” He teased her, hoping to break the tension.

She stuck her tongue out at him. “Do it, and I’ll have to lift my knee.” She bumped his inner thigh with her knee to make her point and Loki shielded away from her with a lighter hearted laugh.

He waved a finger at her. “It’s treason to attack a King.”

Kara giggled and poked him the chest. “You’re not a king in here. Here you are just My Loki.” She gave him a fond smile before sighing and looking at the darkening sky.

“I should get back.” She hated to leave him. He obviously needed someone in his corner, to protect his back. “I wish you could come with me.”

Loki breathed deeply but the sound was staggered, betraying his conflicted emotions. He moved forward to give her another fond embrace before he began to walk her to the door of his balcony. He knew she’d rather fly then walk the halls all the way to the Bifröst. “I wish it was that simple.”

“I’ll let Thor know what lessons we think he must learn, and I’ll see what I can do about correcting his behavior.” She promised him softly. “Regardless of whatever it is he wants, Asgard needs him to learn. It will take time so you should have enough of it to do as you need. I know how much you love him, and I will make sure he knows he’ll have your support if he decides to learn how to be a real King.”

Loki nodded thoughtfully. “If it had been up to me I’d have lied; told him the Allfather was dead, and his banishment was permanent as part of the negotiations with Laufey.”

Kara shook her head and gripped his shoulder. “Lying would only break his trust in us both. I can tell him the grave news and make it seem like the banishment could be permanent if he doesn’t learn his lessons within a certain timeframe, but I don’t want to rush it.”

Loki again looked indecisive. “I want him here, but at the same time, I really don’t think it would be a good idea. Asgard would be at war within days. I do love him, but some days I really hate him too.” He admitted shamefully.

Kara smiled sadly and pressed her hand to his cheek. “You never have to explain that feeling to me.” She told him before she pressed her hand to his heart. “I’ll make sure his lessons go smooth but slowly until you send word that you are ready for his possible return.”

“Thank you, My Kara.” He said as he stepped back to allow her to fly off. She stopped and looked back when she was a few feet from the balcony.

“Promise to call for me if you need me.” She pleaded, holding back tears. Somehow she felt as if leaving was a mistake.

Loki nodded and pressed his fist to his heart. “You have my word.”

Kara smiled. “Good enough.” She returned his salute and then headed once more to the Bifröst.

When she arrived at the Observatory that housed the Bifröst she was unsurprised to find the Warriors Three and Sif speaking to Heimdall. They all stopped as she walked in. Heimdall turned away from the warriors and addressed her.

“The Bifröst site has been re-covered by the mortals. Sending you down will destroy their equipment.” He explained. “Do you wish to use the Bifröst for your return?”

Kara rolled her eyes. “Start the sequence and then stop it before it engages. If they begin to move their things, then we’ll give them ten minutes to move their gear. Otherwise I’ll go in five.”

Heimdall placed his sword in the device and gave the sword a half turn. The light of the beam pulsed and then he returned the sword to the waiting position. The warriors were all watching her warily. She gave them her full attention.

“Were you not asked to oversee the preparations for defending Asgard from the results of your and Thor’s folly of going to Jötunheim?” She asked them coldly.

Volstagg once more came forward. “Princess we were just asking how Thor fares.”

Kara rolled her eyes at the efforts of the man to mitigate the actions of his friends. “You all were attempting to commit treason for the second time in less than a week.” She stated with authority. “Thor has my personal protection, and if he does something stupid I will make sure the consequences are no more than he would face here. He will not be subjected to any mistreatment. I will help him to return as soon as possible, but as the lessons he needs to learn were meant to be learned long ago do not expect instant results.”

“And we are supposed to trust you?” Sif’s disbelief was evident. She made no effort to hide her disgust at the idea of Thor being dependent on her.

Kara glared at the woman warrior. “When have I ever gone back on my word? Or better yet when has Mjölnir ever answered the call of one not worthy of the honor of Asgard?” she asked as she pulled the hammer from her belt, holding it out for Sif to try and hold.

Sif went to take it but Volstagg slapped her hand away. “If you say Thor is under your protection that is enough for us Princess.” Sif actually protested but Kara just allowed her disbelief to raise her brows. Seeing both Hogun and Fandral both siding with Sif made Kara angry. Volstagg saw their actions and paled but stood his ground, even in the face of her anger.

“Perhaps I need to make something clear.” She glared allowing her eyes to shift to red. “ANYONE who dares to disobey the King will personally face me. I will kill in defense of Asgard. Am I clear?”

The others met her gaze warily but they all nodded their understanding. “Now leave and go back to your posts.” She ordered bitterly, knowing they would try again once they were sure she was gone.

She waited until they all left before she turned her still red eyes towards Heimdall. “That warning about treason also applies to you gatekeeper. You allow them to use the Bifröst to go to Midgard and I will personally call for your head.” Her eyes glowed even deeper red, the type of red that signaled a near release of the harmful rays. “I do not need the Bifröst to return so nothing can stop me from seeking any justice I deem necessary.”

Heimdall nodded as stoically as always. “The landing site is now clear Princess.” He began to turn the sword.

“Loki has enough enemies trying to make him fail.” Kara reminded the gatekeeper. “Just because someone wishes privacy does not mean they are traitors.”

Heimdall looked at her sharply, “If you say so Princess.”

Kara turned and glared at him once more. “I do. Furthermore you know being king has never been his goal.”

Heimdall stared off into the void once more. “So he has stated.” His words and tone suggested he didn’t believe it.

“Not everyone craves that type of power.” She warned him harshly.

“The Bifröst should not stay open Princess.” Heimdall reminded her as stoically as ever.

Kara shook her head in disappointment. “And Mother wonders why I hate the idea of living here.” She turned and walked into the light, missing Heimdall’s saddened frown.

“To Asgard’s detriment.” He whispered to the void after the flash of light took her away.


	7. Chapter 6:  Repercussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Living with the results of your actions can be hard, living with the results of someone else's mistakes is even harder.

 

SoA Part 1

By Sirya Black

**Chapter 6:  Repercussions**

 

May 29th 2011

It was well after nightfall when Kara returned to Dr. Foster’s headquarters, an old abandoned gas station with several small rooms that had been converted into an apartment attached in the back. With the hammer hidden behind the motorcycle she walked in as Kara Stark. The place was empty. It was only then that Kara realized that the truck and car were both gone.

She took advantage of the quiet to sit back and accept the weight of the past few hours on her shoulders. The digital clock on the wall told her it was now after midnight. She was torn between staying, and running back to Tony who she was sure was getting himself into _Trouble._

It seemed odd that the group would be still out this late. She waited nearly a half hour. Just as she was beginning to worry, Brainiac contacted her.

“Kara there is chatter on the comms from the SHIELD agents at the crater that you will want to hear.” The computer told her.

“Patch me through Brainiac.” She sighed, weary and knowing that whatever was happening it was going to require Supergirl, or rather ‘Thora’ as Loki had called her, to respond.

“Barton talk to me.” Agent Coulson’s curt sounding voice came over the comm.

“Do you want me to slow him down sir?” Clint’s voice answered back professionally. “Or are you sending in more guys for him to beat up?” The second statement while in a professional tine made Kara groan. She just knew he had to be talking about Thor. No one else would have caused Brainiac to rouse her.

Kara placed her head in her hands. “Please tell me that’s not Thor.” She pleaded, in vain, but pleaded all the same.

“I’ll let you know.” Coulson replied to Clint.

“It is.” Brainiac confirmed for her.

“Damn.” She breathed out harshly and moaned as she stood up. “Can they hear me?”

“They can now.” Brainiac confirmed.

“Agent Coulson, this is Supergirl.” She called over the comms in a commanding voice.

“Supergirl!” Coulson exclaimed. “Now is really not a good time.” He responded just as firmly as she had. To anyone else it would sound like two alphas trying to command the other to sit. In fact the background chatter behind Coulson stopped at this point.

“On the contrary,” She sighed as she shifted into her normal blonde appearance and into regular and very plain civilian clothing since any armor would change to Thor’s colors. “I’m on my way to get my brother, whom it seems does not know how to stay where I left him.” She all but growled into the comm. “If you see the others I would appreciate if you let them leave without a fuss.”

Coulson hesitated. “You might want to hurry. He’s fighting one of my strongest men.” He replied almost conversationally.

“Can you wait Supergirl?” Clint asked chuckling now that the clash of wills was over and she seemed to have won. “I was starting to rout for him to beat everyone else.”

She chuckled at Clint’s joke. “Now you can rout for me.”

Clint snorted. “No contest. You could beat them all with your pinkie.” Background chatter seemed to agree with him as the people behind Coulson that had been listening in began to talk once more.

Kara cleared the distance with a sonic boom. She landed between Thor and his target as he tried to drop kicked the very large agent with both feet. Kara remained standing while both Thor and the agent went flying in opposite directions, skidding a foot or so in the fresh mud.

“Are you about done?” Kara asked extreme put out and cross with her overly stupid brother. She stared down at Thor with her arms crossed. The rain pelting down had made the whole side of the crater a mud slide, and Thor was covered from head to toe from rolling in it with the agent.

“My hammer is here.” Thor groaned holding his ribs as he forced himself to stand in front of her.

“No, it’s not.” She shook her head in exhausted exasperation.

“The people in the diner said it was here.” He insisted stubbornly. He'd heard the stories and just knew he had to come here, retrieve the hammer, and all would be well. He could return to Asgard, all would be forgiven. He believed it therefore it was true. These men were standing between him and his goal.

“Remember when I said you did not want to come to the attention of certain people on Midgard.” She reminded him of their conversation earlier that day as she glared at him through the pouring rain. Her hair now plastered to her head. She hated being this wet and her glare was harsh..

“Yes of course.” He gasped as he took a deep pain filled breath, he still didn’t seem to understand the predicament he was in.

“Welcome to SHIELD’s mobile base Thor.” She deadpanned as she scowled at him. “I do my best to make sure you are safe, and you do this as soon as my back is turned!”

Thor looked around at the tents and tube like tunnels that surrounded the area. There were now a large number of agents watching the superhero verbal beat down the former god of thunder. “These were the people you did not want to know of me?” Thor asked her quietly, his stomach filling with the unusual feeling of embarrassment and shame.

“Not while you are human, no.” She snarled at him. She looked towards the rim of the crater where she could see Coulson was standing. “Do I have leave to take him with me?” She yelled loud enough he could hear her.

“I do need to interview him for my reports, if you please.” Coulson yelled down to her, politely but loud.

Kara nodded and walked over to Thor and grabbed his arm roughly, but gently enough as to not hurt a human man. “They will help you to tape your ribs until I can heal you later.” She snapped at him. Thor scowled back but wisely kept his mouth shut. He still believed his hammer was here and it was the only thing standing between him and home.

She brought him up to the edge of the crater and was led to the same office as before. Thor was seen by their medic and given some dry clothes (a little short and tight, but dry) before Coulson, Barton, Thor and Kara sat down to discuss the incident.

Thor told them that at lunch they had overheard the locals talking about some Excalibur like hammer that no one could pick up in a new crater in the desert. Thor was sure it was his and had come to collect it.

“We did find your hammer, Mjölnir I believe it’s called.” Coulson confirmed as he looked to Thor's face for additional information. The man had no guile. He wore his emotions on his sleeve, and Zoe El looked extremely annoyed with him.

Thor sat upright. “Where is it? It is my rightful property.” He demanded forcefully. Kara lightly slapped his ribs, making them flare with pain as she gave him an evil smirk.

As he gasped she hissed at him in Old Norse. “You are in no position to demand anything _Thor of Asgard_.” She reminded him that he was no longer considered a Prince while exiled. The reminder hurt just as much as his ribs did from the slap.

While Thor was distracted she looked at Coulson and gave him a tiny shake of her head. He forced a grim smile on his face when Thor looked back up at him, having breathed through the pain. “We no longer have it.” Coulson told him. “Other agents of Asgard have taken the hammer into safe keeping.”

“Other agents of Asgard?” He asked confused. He looked to Kara but she had stood and was now staring out at the small picture on the black wall, listening to the rain as it fell.

“That is all I can tell you.” Coulson said politely, making it up as he went along. “That you would get your hammer when the time was right was the only instructions we were told.”

Kara heard the agents outside arguing with Dr. Foster, and Dr. Selvig about Thor just being her very drunk boyfriend Dr. Blake. Darcy Lewis stayed in the truck muttering about how this wasn’t going to work. “My friends are here to take him home.”

Coulson closed his file. “I have enough for my report Supergirl, Thor. Thank you.” Really he'd had everything he needed while Thor had been in the infirmary. They had blood and tissue samples, and an x-ray. If what Kara had said was true, the tests would come back human, if not then they were about to get a huge boost in the field of genetics.

“Please bill damages to me through Stark Industries. I’ll see the damage is paid. I can pay Tony in gold, and he can pay you in cash.” Kara explained to him.

Thor looked astonished as the talk of compensation was discussed. He’d not thought beyond getting his hammer back. He started counting the owed Weregild, and winced at the amount he’d need to pay back. As he had no access to his own funds he’d need to find a way to pay Kara. As her ward, she’d be legally obligated to pay the damages, but Thor would have to earn his honor back by repaying the amount in any way Kara decided he could. Considering his own treatment of her in the past he was worried about what types of humiliating tasks he’d have to perform in order to satisfy the debt.

“I’ll make a note of it. Thank you.” Coulson said as plainly as always. That was news he'd never heard before. He'd often wondered how she was earning money since no banks were robbed what had any signs of her powers being used. That Stark was exchanging gold her for something was something he'd have to look into.

She turned to Thor. “Go with the others. I’ll meet you there soon.”

Thor hesitated but left after saying goodbye to the agents. He was quickly bundled up in a blanket by Jane and dragged out to the truck and shoved in the backseat of the tiny cab.

Coulson came to stand by her as she watched him leave. “You didn’t want him to know you have the hammer.”

“I have quite a bit to tell him.” She admitted softly. “The location of the hammer is actually not that important in the scheme of things at present. It is however all he would focus on. He tends to think in simple terms.” She watched the truck leave the gate before turning to give Coulson her full attention.

“Questing was his main occupation as a Prince of Asgard. That and putting down minor rebellions, or marauding bands of pirates, at least in the last two centuries. And he has fought in at least one minor war that I know of before that.”

Coulson seemed impressed. “That’s quite a bit of fighting in what, several centuries?”

Kara gave him a small smile. She knew what he was doing and he wasn’t really trying to hide it, which she appreciated. “Thor is just over thirteen hundred years old. He has just recently come of full age developmentally by your standards. I believe you could say he has just turned twenty-one.”

Coulson managed to keep his face blank, but Barton who had kept silent in the corner during the entire interview choked, “Thirteen hundred? Only just turned twenty-one?” He parroted as they both tried to grasp the facts as she laid them out.

“For every one of their developmental years sixty-two, or sixty-three of yours goes by.” She explained. “The gods of Asgard are not truly immortal. They just seem so because they live so long.”

“How old are you?” Clint asked wide-eyed.

Kara grimaced at the reminder. “I’d be an infant if I was Asgardian. But that is a very interesting question. No one knows for certain. I was lost in stasis while travelling through space for an unknown amount of time.”

Coulson's demeanor finally cracked. He could no longer keep his face placid. His jaw dropped. “No one knows?” He asked with complete surprise.

Kara shrugged with some humor. Tony would never believe she got him to crack over something so simple. “Maybe you can have someone figure it out because we never did.” She sat down and took a pen and several pages of blank paper from the printer on his desk.

She explained that according to the information she had, on the Earth she was supposed to land on, the tech level was somewhat equal to if she had arrived in the nineteen seventies, or late sixties on this Earth. When she entered this dimension the clock system went offline, so passage of time was recorded. Her time in stasis was not counted as it should have been.

“Basically I was in stasis, which suspends all life signs and growth. And the timer was stopped when I entered the dimension shift.” She explained with complete mathematical equations. “Without knowing what Earth I was supposed to land on, and what time frame they are on. I can only go by how long I have been awake.”

“How long has that been?” Coulson asked.

“I’ve lived twenty years, awake.” She explained softly pointing to the end of the equation she had placed on the sheets. “I was likely born fifty-five or so years ago. That is my best guess though, not a real scientific result.”

“You age well.” Coulson joked. Clint laughed into his hand as he tried to stifle it.

“You have no idea.” She sighed sadly as she looked out at the rain once more. “I no longer age at a human rate, and now I have a goddess aura.”

That brought the room to a standstill. Coulson and Clint stared wide-eyed at each other in disbelief. “You mean you age as an Asgardian now?”

Kara shook her head. “Not so far, but taking Thor’s magic might have changed things, I really don’t know. I still have not spent any time under a Soul Forge as of yet to find out.”

“How can you _not_ know?” Clint asked bewildered, this conversation was far above his pay-grade.

She scratched her head as she thought. “Something about Earth has made it so that my ability to heal is on steroids. I have actually de-aged slightly, but I am not still going backwards, but I wasn’t moving forward at the old rate yet either. Or at least not at a pace that could be measured as scientific fact.”

“That is just…” Clint was worried. If that fact was known, people were going to want to get a hold of her badly to study her healing ability. If she was able to heal from anything, like cancer or aging, the pharmaceutically companies alone would put the biggest bounty out on her DNA, or a blood sample. Coulson was unsure what to do when Clint grabbed the pages she had written on and lit them on fire and threw them into Coulson’s wastepaper basket.

“What the hell Barton!” Kara cried out surprised at how fast he’d moved for a human.

Clint grabbed her arm and shook her slightly. “Never tell that to anyone again.” He told her with an intense stare. “You never tell anyone or you will be hunted by every man, woman, or child in need of a cure for whatever is wrong with them.”

“TAHITI,” Coulson gasped near soundlessly. Clint didn’t hear him but Kara did. “He’s right.” Coulson said as he moved to the desk and began to type frantically. After a few seconds he looked up. “I scrubbed the last few minutes of the recording.”

Kara looked shaken. “I didn’t think of that. If I had cures for major diseases I would have shared them already, or at least pointed your people in the right direction. Kryptonians never had as many diseases to overcome as your race does.”

Clint smiled at her believing that if she could she would have helped in those fields. “You’re solid. And as long as you remain that way we’ll keep this between us.” He assured her. He knew if his child was sick nothing would stop him from asking her for help, so he could easily imagine what would happen if someone honestly thought hurting or killing her could save their child.

Kara nodded quietly and left without another word as she unknowingly shared Coulson and Barton’s concerns.

 

Once they heard the sonic boom that signaled she was away Clint asked Coulson. “Did you really scrub the recording?”

“After I copied it to my personal thumb drive,” He assured him before passing it to Clint. “Put it with the others will you.”

Clint nodded softly. “That was quite the bombshell.”

“But not an unexpected one,” Coulson admitted. Clint couldn’t help but shake his head. Way above his pay-grade. Coulson wished it was above his. Once again he was sitting on information he couldn’t trust Fury with.

 

Kara ‘Stark’walked into the gas station apartment once she was sure the others had all returned and they were still awake.

“So how did dinner go?” She asked brightly as she walked into the main room which was covered in new computer equipment in various states of setup modes. Darcy seemed to be frazzled as she worked the three laptops all at once downloading, installing programs and apps. Erik looked just as anxiety riddled as he seemed to be trying to setup a tablet, and flip through some charts on the table in front of him. Both Thor and Jane seemed to be missing, but Kara could pinpoint them on the roof with both her x-ray vision and her super hearing. Thor was explaining the basics of the Yggdrsill World Tree and the placements of the Realms on it. He was also pointing out where in the night sky where each star system would be and the names of those stars, which of course were different from the names Jane knew.

“Dudette, the less you ask the better.” Darcy said as she gulped her now cold coffee. “The boy is a hot mess, literally. And needs some serious lessens in table manners and not being a hot undressed mess. Dude slammed his coffee mug on the floor and yelled for another one. He also walked around here without a shirt and made me drop my damn hot coffee on my favorite shoes.”

Kara winced and then smirked at Darcy’s comments. While Kara was not attracted to Thor at all, she had to admit his muscles did make him extremely fine to look at. Kara just didn’t find it as attractive as most others, most likely because most of the men she knew who looked like Thor were also arrogant braggarts. The combination of huge and arrogant had left her finding swimmers more attractive than football players (or Asgardian warriors).

“Yeah customs are somewhat different here than on Asgard I imagine.” She remembered Loki and her learning those same lessons. They had observed for a while before attempting anything so dramatic. They’d learned enough to not throw table items on the floor to show approval for things before they caused an incident, except in Greece where it was allowed under certain conditions.

“Look, we figured it out Supes.” Darcy smiled at her nervously.

“DARCY!” Erik yelled in a panicked voice. “We weren’t-”

“Dude! Chillax!” Darcy snapped scornfully. “We agreed we weren’t going to say anything to anyone else, but she deserves to know we know… ya’ know.”

Kara rubbed her forehead trying to rub away the stress headache that had started some time ago. “Yeah I didn’t expect that secret to last since you all are very smart people. It’s going to be even harder to hide now anyway with Thor staying for a while.” Kara yawned widely and sat down heavily on the couch near the dining table they were working on.

“What happened, besides having to bail him out of SHIELD? You look super stressed.” Darcy asked, her concern was genuine which made Kara smile gratefully.

“I really should get Thor down here so I can explain it all just once. Things at home are in flux.” She admitted to the intern. “A great deal it would seem has changed on Asgard in less than a week, which for immortals can be traumatic.” She confided to the young intern.

Erik stood and offered to go as he quickly left the room. Darcy winced as he slammed the door behind him. “Dude is uptight all the time. But the whole gods from Asgard are freaking him out since his family worshiped the Asgard gods or some shit.” She explained to her. “He’d likely have left already except he like help raised Janie, so he’s not going to leave her like most people would, you know.”

Kara sighed and leaned forward, placed her elbows on her knees and her hands over her face. “I have too much drama in my life.”

Darcy placed a cup of steaming coffee in front of her. Kara looked up surprised. “It was warming on the maker. I’m going to be up all night trying to finish installing all the apps and programs the laptops need to read and store the results.” Kara took it gratefully and sipped the high octane brew.

“How do you make it this strong?” She asked the intern as the high level of caffeine warmed her.

Darcy chuckled and looked around to make sure they were alone. Kara thought it was cute the way she was protecting her secret. “Don’t tell Janie. It’s my secret weapon for getting a super great grade for this internship. I increase the coffee to water ratio, grind the beans fresh each morning, and use hot water from the water cooler in the corner before the cycle starts.” She paused to take a sip of her refreshed hot black coffee. “I also add a dash of cinnamon.” Kara and Darcy sat in silence for a moment, enjoying the high octane coffee.

Darcy sighed in delight as the coffee did its work in waking her up. “I’m not even an astrophysicist student. I’m a poli-sci major. This star stuff,” She waved to all the data spreadsheets all over the table, “that’s over my head. But the jack boots coming for us. I know that shit. That’s why I made such a huge deal over my iPod. That way my name doesn’t go as deep on some watch list because the agents think I’m an idiot.” She said with a clueless looking smile, but now that Kara knew she was faking it, she could see the sparkling laughter in the young woman’s eyes behind her glasses.

Kara clinked her cup against Darcy’s. “Your secret is safe as long as I get the mixture ratio, and the name brand you are using.” She gave Darcy a smirk. “You are a good actress. Even over the feeds while I was watching I didn’t realize it was an act.”

“Deal!” Darcy chuckled as the others came back down the stairs, but she gave Kara a conspirators’ wink before going back to her computer.

Thor looked at Kara and paled somewhat. “I am sorry sister. They know-”

“Relax Thor.” She reassured him. “I’m fairly sure they knew before I left this afternoon.” She raised a brow to Darcy for confirmation.

“Yeah, you were speaking in Old Norse and Erik knew enough to know that and a few words, but not enough to know what you were saying though.” She laughed suddenly. “Course Janie was the last to figure it out.”

Jane looked offended at that observation. “That’s because I wasn’t paying attention, I was looking at all the data from the readouts that-”

“Blah, blah, blah, Janie.” Darcy snarked good-naturedly, making Jane groan at being teased. “Supes has an update for the big guy.”

Kara couldn’t help but smile. She was going to need to talk to Darcy and find out how to talk more like a teenager she was supposed to be. “I do actually.”

She looked sadly at Thor and stood to grab his forearm. “I am sorry to say the Allfather has fallen into the Odinsleep.” Thor swayed on his feet for a moment before Kara directed him to sit down beside her on the couch.

“You went home?” His voice small and so different from what he usually sounded like. The puppy pout was back, making him look so much pathetic than he was, less dangerous too.

She kept his hand in hers. “Yes. Loki gave me a little more information, but basically the same story you told me. Mother gave me even more. She thinks Odin wants you to learn humility, and what it is like to be lesser so you can be a better King one day. He didn’t have time to lay out your punishment. He fell within hours of you leaving.”

Thor looked down as tears formed in his eyes. “When is he expected to recover?”

Kara bit her lip. “Mother is unsure if he ever will. It was too unexpected. They weren’t prepared.” She admitted and sat down beside him to offer her support. “Mother is concerned, but not scared so it might be quite some time.”

Darcy gasped and Jane shifted in uncomfortable gestures, they quietly shuffled into the kitchen so Kara and Thor could have a little privacy for the rest of what needed to be said.

Thor took his time gathering his thoughts as he stared at his hands. “What else has happened?”

Kara sighed heavily and leaned over in a matching grieving posture. “Since Mother won’t leave the Allfather, Loki has been made the Regent King. He is _not_ happy about it.” To Thor’s credit he gave a little smile of understanding. An unhappy Loki meant someone was going to end up wishing for the earth to swallow them whole, or several groups of people, like the King’s council.

“Then Asgard is in good hands.” Kara was astounded. He often disparaged Loki’s skills in public. Hearing him think Loki would be a good king was very unlike him.

“Your friends and the council don’t think so. They are fighting him every step of the way.” Kara glared at the floor. She was strangely proud of Thor for not doubting Loki could do the job. It wasn’t as if she had ever heard him praise anyone else before, unless it was his friends during one of his boasts.

Thor seemed shocked by that statement. “Our friends are not supporting him… why ever not?” The look was so genuine that there was no chance Thor was faking his astonishment.

Kara scoffed at his thick-headedness. “Sif loathes him. Fandral has no thoughts of his own, beyond whom he is going to bed next. Hogun has never trusted him, ever! And Volstagg is ruled by his appetite! Whatever it is you see in them, loyalty to Loki is never been a trait they possess.” She snapped at him as she laid out the truth to the thickheaded idiot.

Thor looked away shamefaced as the truth hurt. “They do not hate him.” He tried to reason, “It might seem like that to outsiders from their teasing but-” His defense sounded weak even to his own ears. As much as he hated to admit it, his friends were often a little more critical of Loki than even he was comfortable with. He tended to follow their led as he was with them more often than his brother in the past few centuries, more so since Kara arrived.

“But nothing Thor!” Kara snapped harshly, making Thor recoil at the level of her ire. He was unknowingly responding to the godly aura that she was radiating as she had no control over it yet. It made her seem even more powerful to the unpowered ex-god.

 “You might be blind, but the rest of Asgard is not.” Her fury was making the hair on his neck stand and he watched her both fascinated, and intimidated by the display. “They are actively work against him, and the good of Asgard to bring you back. They even asked Loki to kill Odin, in order to return you so you could be King without learning Odin’s lessons.”

“They did what?” Thor’s eyes opened larger in disbelief and fear of what his friends had requested. “Surely they did not do such a thing! It must be one of Loki’s pranks to say such.” Falling into the old trap of blaming Loki for every mistake his friends make.

Kara glared hatefully and snarled at him. “I heard them personally ask for you to be returned no matter the cost. When Loki told them it was impossible they refused to believe him.”

“But why would it be impossible?” Thor asked not understanding the reasoning behind the impossibility of the request. “Loki is a great seiðr master. Surely he can undo Odin’s magic if he tried, with the Odinforce now answering to him it should be child’s play for one such as him.”

Kara stared at him as if he had uttered the single most supremely absurd thing ever said. Thor began to squirm under her scrutiny. “Perhaps Loki and I gave them, and you, too much credit.” She and Thor continued to stare at one another. Kara’s disbelief grew as she realized that Thor was that oblivious to the rules of magic. He truly had no idea what would happen.

“After all these centuries of adventuring with Loki you should by now have some idea how seiðr works.” She marveled at his ignorance of the Odinforce, something if he’d become King a few days ago he’d have had to understand to wield. “You should have learned long ago about the Odinforce.” Thor was still looking at her dumbfounded, but now looking more than a little sheepish at his own ignorance.

 She scoffed in disgust and began to explain why. “If Loki were to take full control of the Odinforce it would kill Odin, as it is what sustains Odin when he sleeps. If Loki were to take it away from him while he is sleeping there would be no return for the Allfather. Right now Loki and mother still hope for his recovery, and your return.”

Thor’s horror was so real Kara could feel it radiating out from him. “I am sure they do not know that, as I had not a clue, how could they?”

Kara shook her head. “How can you be so ignorant regarding your brother’s skills? As you said Loki is a seiðr master. In the thousand years you have been his brother, how can you not know anything about seiðr? Were you that self-absorbed that his own interests and skills held no interest for you?”

Thor looked even further downcast. “I did not think seiðr it important enough.” He admitted shamefully.

  _A demeaning woman’s art that he had no business learning is what you mean_ , she thought. “And yet Odin needed to understand it as King to defend Asgard, and use the Odinforce. How did you expect to wield it as King if you had no understanding of it?”

“I never thought of it as such.” His voice was so heavy with guilt and remorse, she finally relented a bit and slide further away, unknowingly reducing her aura from menacing to just the occasional flare. There was no sense in continuing to beat down on him when he was finally listening. Badgering him would only waste the precious time she had while he was willing to absorb what she had to say.

“Father had also said he would hand the Odinforce over slowly as I learned to use it.” He admitted quietly. “I truly had no plans to learn.”

Kara stared at him in horror. “Do you not know that Asgard’s defenses are tied to the Odinforce? Without it Asgard’s defenses and Heart would destabilize?”

Thor looked annoyed for a moment before dropping his gaze from her face once more, unable to look her in the eyes. “I believe in our warriors, they could hold off any attack.”

Kara just shook off the level of stupidity, ignorance and arrogance that Thor was displaying. At this rate Thor would be here for centuries! “There is one more thing.” She said to brace him for the final piece of news.

“With Loki facing the repercussions of the trip to Jötunheim completely on his own, as everyone is abandoning him, and mother is busy trying to sustain Odin’s life force, your well-being has been left in my hands.” She explained softly. It was taking every bit of her self-control not to kick him out and make him fend for himself for at least a week so he’d understand just how big an issue this was. “Loki and mother have both asked that I make sure you are able to return home.” _Someday, when you are no longer a danger to Asgard_ , she thought angrily.

“I am to be your ward?” He asked with a mixture of gratitude and shame. She could well imagine the idea of being a ‘ward’ would not sit well with him. His disdain for her status as a ward was likely irritating now that the shoe was on the other foot.

Kara took pity on him and gave him an out for his pride. He’d never listen if she bashed his pride to pieces. “More of a guide to Midgard. You are of age, and capable of taking care of yourself, you are hardly in need of a caretaker, Thor.” She gave him a reassuring salute. He gratefully accepted her gesture.

“I am the best expert Asgard has on the subject. As such I will continue to give you the best council I can, and provide you with the means to support yourself while you are here.” She said encouragingly. Thor finally looked into her eyes and saw her kindness for what it was. It was a simple offer to help him to stand on his own, but willing to protect him from the dangers he could face because of who he was. As an Odinson he had many enemies, some of his own making, some from his father, and his grandfather Bor. There were also the dangers he did not understand on Midgard such as SHIELD, or other black op government agencies from other countries beyond US borders. “Any debts of Weregild you incur I will gladly collect after you return to Asgard.

“I gladly accept your guidance.” He managed a trace of a smile and inwardly a sigh of relief that his honor would be redeemed once he could access his accounts in Asgard once more. “I have done nothing to earn this boon you are giving me, but I thank you for it none the less.” His manners that usually were missing when they spoke, resurfacing at least for the moment.

“I will help you to understand and learn how mortals live. I will arrange for lodgings, food, and employment so that you will not be dependent on me for too long since I know you will not like that.”

He nodded more assured of himself now that there was a plan in place. “Thank you... Sister.”

She sighed and looked down. That was such a low blow, acknowledging her now that he needed her. She wanted to break a sword over his damn puppy faced head. Then maybe shatter a shield, and possibly follow it all up with her fist. It was so unfair that he was being lovable for the first time.

“There was one other reason I went to Asgard.” Thor waited for her to continue. “Odin sent a way to determine if you had learned enough.”

“A quest?” He asked hopefully. His face lit with hope and it made her wince as she moved to crush it.

“No,” She flat out told him emphatically, swiping her hand through the idea swiftly, killing it. “A simple and unbiased test; it will determine if you had learned enough to be worthy of being a prince of Asgard.”

“What must I do?” He asked desperately. His hands clenched in tight fists as he leaned forward eagerly.

“Pick up Mjölnir.” She told him quietly

Thor looked confused. “Pick up Mjölnir, that’s it? Do you know who has the hammer, and where it is?” He looked more confident now. He smiled arrogantly and stood as if he’d been renewed with energy.

Kara once more looked at him with a surprising amount of sympathy. “According to the voice I heard when I brought it here. Odin said ‘Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor’.” She allowed outfit she was wearing to fade and changed into the Thor-like armor. . “The enchantment will only allow those worthy to pick it up.”

 

“You have my powers!” He stared wide-eyed as he took in the female form of his armor on her. “You control the thunder now?” His voice raging with jealousy, Kara glared dangerously at him in return.

“Only until you prove your worth,” She assured him with a hard voice. “I am merely a custodian for your powers until you have earned them back.

Thor backed down suddenly, as if the fight had been ripped from him. Even physically he seemed to back away and grow smaller. “I need to see Mjölnir. I take it you have control of it and the weather?”

Kara snorted, “Control, no. Have the ability to do so someday, maybe. It depends on how long it takes you to regain your status.” She quickly stood and walked outside.

Thor rapidly followed at her heels, acting like an eager puppy. She took him to where she left the hammer sitting by the motorcycle. She easily picked up Mjölnir and placed it at his feet.

“This was what I went to find this afternoon. Until I picked it up there was no trace of magic in it. Now it gives off quite a bit of electromagnetic power when I am near.” She clarified for him. From what her mother had said she knew placing the hammer in front of him like this was cruel, but he needed to learn that this was not a simple weekend excursion. He was banished and he would have to earn his way back to Asgard. Even now she could see he wasn’t grasping just how serious his breach of the Treaty was.

Thor sighed in relief to see his weapon and moved to pick it up. At first he tried with his regular strength and it never moved. His second attempt he braced his legs and pulled the hammer as one would a real war hammer. It didn’t move even a hair from where it sat. Only the leather loop on the end of the haft fluttered at all when he moved his hand along it.

Thor fell to his knees as the weight of his predicament finally fully settled on him. He was caste out, no longer the golden prince. He was mortal and dying every day. He was what he had once pitied Kara for being, a short-lived mortal and unworthy of being in the Realm Eternal.

“You need to find a way to prove worthy. Since Odin did not send instructions down with you; Loki, Mother and I think you are meant to learn what it is like to be lesser. The purpose of being here so you can learn the lessons you have neglected so you can become a King who will be wiser, and more than just a warrior. We also think it is meant to be a lesson in learning when War is appropriate, and when it is not.” Kara kneeled down beside him and told him as kindly as she could manage. She was very sympathetic. She remembered what it felt like to lose your whole world. She would never wish this kind of torment on anyone to go through alone. She’d had Frigga, and Thor would have her. Even if she would rather anyone else in the Universe could be needed to guide him.

“I will help you Thor. I will help make you worthy, this I promise you. I will stand with you and teach you all I know of being worthy of Asgard.” She vowed to him. “You will not be alone, as I was not alone on Asgard.”

Thor’s desperate howl of misery was heartbreaking. Kara stayed with him as he wept. Offering a comforting presence so he would feel that he was not alone, because she knew there was no worse feeling. She lived it every day. She was the last of her kind, forever alone. At least one day he’d be able to go home.

She was as shocked as anyone could be when Thor had grabbed her waist and cried on her stomach like a lost child. For several minutes she had held him there and ran her fingers along his long hair. She kneeled on the ground next to him holding him as tight as she dared as he shifted his hold to her shoulders. His grip on her cape was tight and kept her there, though she could have broken away at any time. She was glad she didn’t get muscle fatigue the way humans did since he took a long time to let his grief out. He finally had to sit on the ground as he held onto her. The uncharacteristic storms that had plagued the area since she had taken up the hammer, began to drizzle rain on them as she commiserated his agony. They continued to sit in the open for a long while.

Nearly an hour later past before Thor was ready to return to the small room Jane had provided for him to sleep in. It was just a twin bed and a dresser, but it had clothes in it about Thor’s size. Her ex-boyfriend had left without taking all his things luckily. Once Thor was inside Kara faded into clean dry clothes, and went to the others.

“Darcy do you think you could teach Thor to use Earth tech?” She asked the intern softly.

“Ah… yeah… No problem at all.” She stammered slightly, the idea of teaching Thor was something she’d have to think about. She wasn’t sure how to start but she started thinking about how to go about it almost immediately.

Kara nodded firmly to her before turning to face the other two. “Jane, Erik, do you think you both could work out of a lab in Malibu if I sent you the readings you needed from my computers, dates, time stamped, and everything?”

Jane and Erik shared a look before Jane nodded slowly. “If it’s anything like the readings I already had and the ones you sent today, sure!”

“Would you mind taking on Darcy and Thor as paid interns?” She asked seriously, she was concerned Jane was going to feel obligated and resentful of her demands. Just that afternoon she had promised she would not place limits or conditions on her getting the grant money. “He’ll need to ‘earn a living’ and while I know your budget didn’t allow for it before, I’d like to supplement it so it does now.”

“Whoa! I’d get paid to help you out? Seriously!” Darcy exclaimed so excited she was bouncing on her toes. “Say yes Janie!”

“What about field work?” Jane asked quietly as she fended off Darcy’s excitement. “Will I still be allowed to do field work? Or will this be a lab only Patronage?”

Kara laughed suddenly feeling better by Darcy’s continued antics. “Yes, you’ll still be doing field work Jane. I would just request you wait a few weeks while Darcy gives Thor a crash course in Midgard Western Culture. He’s quick to pick stuff up if he needs it.” She assured the young scientist. “It’s just until he gets his feet under him. Once he can walk around with you, and not stand out as much, then going back out in the field will be your choice. If that is acceptable to you, I would be very grateful. If not that will not change your funding, I just won’t add their salaries on top of your budget.”

“Oh well yeah, I can do that.” Jane answered brightly and gratefully nodded her head enthusiastically. “I need a few weeks in the lab sorting through the findings you gave us anyway, so that would actually work really great for me. I’d need to send for my stuff at Culver too.”

Erik looked a little spooked. “I’m not sure I’m cut out for this. Jane doesn’t really need me anyway.” He assured them both as he ran his hand through his balding hairline. “This is just a little much you understand.”

Kara nodded softly. “I’ll gladly compensate you for your time Dr. Selvig, and your troubles so far. And I hope you don’t mind if I ask for a non-disclosure agreement regarding Asgard and such?”

Erik quickly shook his head. He had no intentions of ever telling anyone he knew the Asgardian gods were real. He liked his reputation. He had no intention of ever letting it get tarnished the way Janie’s had been by her theories, even if they were true.

They spent a few hours hammering out the details about lab equipment and a check for Erik so he could leave in a few days when Jane was finished packing up what she had here, and going to the new lab to set up. Darcy was happier than any of them with her new salary, and the apartments that Kara would be buying for them to live in.  Hopefully they would not far from the Malibu mansion, and the new lab could be in an empty office building nearby too. Anything JARVIS or Brainiac found would likely need a facelift, but that’s what obscene amounts of money and the Stark name were for.

It was a little before dawn when they all headed to bed. Kara headed back to the Fortress after learning from Brainiac that Tony had finished the accelerator, and had created the new element without killing himself earlier that day. Kara was not amused that he hadn’t informed her it was done so she could have been there in case Tony had needed her.

No one had also informed her that Hammer had attacked the Stark Expo that night while she was away. Brainiac and JARVIS had both decided that since the incident was dealt with before her return that it could wait until this morning when she awoke to Pepper’s frantic call for help with Hammer’s mainframe. She was then informed of General Ross’s attack on Culver University, and the escape of some green creature. Brainiac was keeping tabs on it. Kara was reluctant to get involved with anything involving a US Army general who had a tendency to skirt the law when it suited him.

Working from the Fortress had its downfalls. It was hard to coordinate when she wasn’t on site. It was easier though because she could openly use Brainiac and work at her own speed. It still took her nearly two full days to get to this point. She was sure the proprietary information that belonged to Stark Industries was now secure, and off the Hammer mainframe. She was also trying to help keep SHIELD out of Tony’s life by blocking all attempts to get into JARVIS at present.

Brainiac was making a list of known backdoors and flaws in the security so they could close them later. While JARVIS was a great system, and Tony was always updating him, he was a first attempt at a complete AI. He had quite a few flaws. Some of those flaws were designed that way, to allow Tony a way into the system if something went wrong. Brainiac was doing everything he could to close those holes to SHIELD but allow Tony and Kara access if needed.

Kara had also gotten an update from Darcy. She had started the ‘teach Thor to be human and tech’ lessons. Kara had laughed at a few pictures Darcy had sent, but her lessons already seemed to be working. Thor was now able to go to the diner and not cause a scene, and use a computer to learn how to read English. He was already progressing to grade one from kindergarten in one day, which was a testament to how seriously he was taking this, since it was a completely new letter and spelling system from runes which Asgard still used.

“Bifröst opening in New Mexico site,” Brainiac’s voice pulled Kara’s focus from the computer in front of her. She was sitting in her lab in Malibu trying to setup a construction crew to renovate building Pepper had found to be converted into a lab and apartments nearby for Dr. Foster. Jane was re-locating all her office files, and any work from her Culver University office to Malibu.

Kara had planned to check in physically with Thor for breakfast two days ago, but the actions of Hammer and General Ross had distracted her for several days now. She would need all of her speed, and Brainiac’s computer processing ability to get everything done by dinner in two hours. With the Bifröst opening she was now out of time and it was going to take longer than any of the team would like.

Loki would not have opened the Bifröst to Midgard unless it was an emergency and Kara was deeply concerned. “Can you continue without me?”

“I can finish retrieving the information from Hammer’s mainframe, securing the lab and apartment construction contracts, for Dr. Foster and Ms. Lewis. Hotel accommodations for long-term use are completed already. I will complete the contracts, forms and other CEO related paperwork for Ms. Potts, and the SI legal teams. However, it might take an additional half hour to do so since you will not be here to fill in the information. I will also endeavor to keep SHIELD out, though I will not be able to physically impede them from entering the mansion.”

“Thanks Brainiac.” She sighed as she shifted to full battle armor, wishing once more she didn’t look like Thor’s female mini clone. She quickly left the lab via her secret tunnels and flew to the Bifröst site expecting to see a messenger, not the Warriors Three and Sif faced off against the agents that had smartly not placed their equipment back over the landing pad, but had placed the just the tent back over it. The tent now had a crest of Asgard shaped hole in the top of it.

She landed with a thud that made the ground tremble and had everyone turn their attention to her. She had Mjölnir in one hand and her shield on the other arm, with that same crest of Asgard heralded, but not in battle ready stance as she walked forward to Volstagg. The SHIELD agents all quickly backed away. She could hear one of them on the radio to Agent Coulson telling him that she was there, and looked ready for a fight with the four armored individuals that had beamed down from Space.

“I am going to assume you have a message for me, and are not here committing treason against Asgard.” She spoke loudly so the agents could hear her. The words spoken had the desired effect. Coulson immediately told them to back away to a safe distance. The agents quickly complied, getting the breakable humans away from the dangerous foursome. Not as far as Kara would like but enough that if they got into a fight the agents would have time to pull further out.

Sif’s chin lifted as she glared at Kara. “Loki has betrayed Asgard, not us.”

Kara snorted and glared back. “A king, even a regent king, cannot by definition commit treason _Lady Sif_.” She replied with so much contempt emphasized on the title as to make it sound like an insult rather than the honorific it was supposed to be. “What is it that Loki has done that has so enraged you? I know you are here in violation of your orders?”

All three male warriors were lined up behind Sif, making her the defacto leader of this expedition. Knowing the group as well as she did she knew this setup meant that Sif felt the strongest about this operation, and had pressed the others into following her. Each took turns leading the others when Thor wasn’t with them depending on their convictions, which meant Sif lead more than the others as she tended to be more passionate than the others.

“He has allowed Frost Giants into Asgard!” She growled as if the insult was so great that it was obscene. To the Asgardian woman it likely was, however she wasn’t taking to an ignorant warrior and Kara was unmoved by her unreasonable bigotry and rage.

Kara looked bored and waited for something else. When nothing was forthcoming she prompted Sif by waving her hand for her to continue, “And?”

The warriors looked confused by Kara’s disinterest and looked at one another to see if anyone else knew the answer as to why. Sif just looked apocalyptic. “He let a group of Frost Giants into the Palace!”

“And?” Kara once more prompted, when no further explanation was offered Kara rolled her eyes.

“Loki is starting negotiations to repair the treaty.” She explained with contempt for their intelligence.  “You do realize that it needs to be done quickly before the other Realms become involved, and before Jötunheim decides to just declare war, correct?” She probed as if talking to very young children.

“Of course Princess,” Volstagg responded almost by rout and with respect as always. The others didn’t seem to be all that moved by her logic but Kara continued on. Hoping to stop this before it became something that even she could not reverse.

“When one,” She pointed to each of them, “is the aggressor, they must start the negotiations for a new peace treaty on their _own home world_.” She quoted the first civic lessons she was taught about how to create treaties within the Nine Realms. “As Thor, the Crown Prince of Asgard at the time, Prince Loki and _you_ all were the aggressors, the beginning rounds need to be in _Asgard_. The quartering of the Jötunn delegation must be in the palace because Laufey is a King _in his own right_.” She carefully laid out the requirements for such a Treaty Negotiations to take place.

“We will see what Thor thinks of this.” Sif hissed angrier than a cornered rattlesnake. Kara inwardly scoffed at her stupidity. It’s no wonder the woman excelled at swinging a sword, she couldn’t think or reason her way out of a wet paper bag.

Kara laughed in her face. “Yes, I wonder what he’ll think of you abandoning your post when enemies of Asgard are actually within her.” Inwardly she was not as self-assured as she was pretending to be of Thor’s loyalty to Loki verses his friends. She had a bad feeling about this, and it made her want to shiver with dread. If Sif persisted it was going to back them in a corner that would require drastic actions, especially from Loki.

The four didn’t look as confident as they had when they arrived. Now that she had explained the facts, and the tremendously valid motives for Loki’s invitation to Laufey, for allowing him in Asgard and bringing him into the palace. It was as if the thought hadn’t occurred to them, even though she knew for a fact Volstagg, and Hogun, had overseen such treaties negotiations on Asgard’s behalf in years past.

 “Please tell me you at least did as ordered, and secured your posts before you left Asgard!” Kara demanded of them.

Fandral spoke up this time. “Of course we did. Some of the best of the Einherjar are securing the Palace itself, and the rest are at the corridors we were told would be needed to be reinforced.” He was defensive and that made Kara wary. Did they actually do so? Or was he just indigent because she was smarter than them, and exposed how they had erred in coming to Midgard at all. She wasn’t sure, and at this point, she really didn’t care.

While she could take on all four, the battle would be bloody and long if she was concerned about only injuring them. As they were Thor’s friends, and she was known for her arguments with Sif, she knew there would be a huge uproar if she were to kill them easily and outright. She decided the easiest way to deal with them was to take them to Thor, and hope for the best. She was afraid this was a mistake, but the only other option was a full out fight.

“Since committing treason doesn’t seem to bother you, perhaps Thor will able to get through to you.” She turned and flew back toward the gas station.

She landed and nearly blew the door off as she walked through, “THOR!” she bellowed. There was no answer and as she looked around she could see the laptops were gone as were Jane, Darcy and Erik.

She turned and flew quickly to the diner. Luckily they were all there. Everyone stopped to stare as Supergirl walked in, in full armor with Mjölnir and shield still in hand. “Thor, you and I are going to talk now.” She snapped harshly.

Everyone else in the diner made a dash for the nearest exit as she stalked forward. Jane, Darcy and Erik were frozen to their seats too scared to move. Thor quickly rose to his feet to meet her. “What has happened?”

“Your friends!” She spat at him. “They’ve betrayed Loki and Asgard.” She glared at him. “They want you to go home, and take back the throne because Loki is doing his damn job as Regent.”

“Was that a curse word?” Darcy asked Jane in a whisper. “I mean not a real one, but for Supergirl it was, right?”

“Not now Darcy.” Erik shushed her, trying to get both girls to move so they were outside and away from the diner in case a fight broke out.

Thor looked puzzled as everyone scurried away. “If he is doing as he should, why would they come here?”

Kara let out a small scream of frustration. “Since when does Sif need an excuse to accuse Loki of being a villain?”

Thor crossed his arms over his chest. “You and Loki both have had many disputes with Sif, as she with you.” He defended his friend. He’d obviously forgotten their talk from two days ago.

“That doesn’t excuse them from walking away from their post while Asgard is hosting a hostile foreign delegation any less of a betrayal of Loki or Asgard.” She snarled, pointing Mjölnir at him. Thor looked as if he was about to question what Realm the delegation was representing. Kara cut him off before he could open his mouth. “Laufey, Thor. Loki has Laufey in Asgard to start the negotiations for the peace treaty.” She threw him a look of rage that dared his to disagree with her now.

Thor’s jaw dropped and his arms fell as he stared at her. “Loki brought Laufey into Asgard? Whatever for? The peace treaty did not need to be amended. Father said so as we left Jötunheim.” He seemed completely in deniel and Kara was having none of it.

Kara smacked her palm to his forehead. “Think Thor? You and your treasonous friends broke the damn treaty by killing a hundred of their warriors! Loki has to try to re-negotiate a new peace treaty because you shattered the old one with Mjölnir, even Odin couldn’t save that worthless piece of paper!”

Thor looked a bit angry himself and he now had a red imprint on his forehead from her tap, but he managed to keep his temper from flaring. “So he allowed Laufey and a few others into Asgard to sue for peace.” He at least remembered this part of the negotiation process.

Kara nodded sharply. “Loki told me that was his plan. He expects a trick or two so he had your friends posted in areas he was worried might be vulnerable. He trusted them with the most important parts of the Palace to be protected and they _deserted_!” She spat in rage.

Thor groaned and sat back down. He put his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. “Please sit sister.” He looked as if he was trying to think of a way to salvage the situation. It wasn’t his strong suit. Loki was the one who would come up with elaborate plans, and give Thor a choice.

Kara paused with her eyebrow raised but took a seat and placed the hammer down beside her. “Do you realize what they have done, by deserting Asgard with a known enemy in the Palace?”

“If they go back right away it could be seen as a messenger mission, yes?” He asked her hopefully. It seemed he did in fact understand the importance of what they had done by coming to Midgard against orders.

She took a deep breath and blew it out shakily and uneven, showing how stressed she felt. “Brother,” She paused slightly having never referred to him this way before, “If the situation was reversed; you were on the throne and no one was respecting you, and then the four ‘best warriors’, Loki’s friends betrayed you so stage a coup… What would you do?”

Thor sighed and looked at his hands. “Is this a test?” he asked hopefully.

Kara shook her head and stood up, pacing back and forth. “By Rao, Thor! To save face in front of Laufey, he is going to have to publicly execute them! I certainly would if it were me in his position!” She snarled and glared at him. “Do you realize what that means? Asgard is going to hate him for it! You are going to hate him!” She sat down shaking with the need to scream in rage and betrayal on Loki’s behalf, but being unable to as the situation required her to be strong. Loki needed her to be strong.

“Aye I would.” He admitted despondently. He also was restless and trying to think of a solution.

“But if he doesn’t execute them for treason, than he is never going to get the respect he needs if Odin dies, and he is forced to become King while you are banished down here!” She ranted with hand gestures and her hard footsteps crack the tiles under her feet. “Your friends have gone too far this time, and nothing can save them.”

Thor stood and pulled her roughly into a hug to try to calm her movements and agitation. “If anyone can find a way to avoid making such a situation public, and save face, it would be Loki.” He told her, completely belief in Loki’s ability to spin the truth anyway he needed it to go.

Kara pulled back, using some force to do so. Thor might be mortal and without his god-like strength, but he was still as strong as the strongest man on record for a human. “Why should he?” She asked with anger and sincere sadness. Her feelings not for the warriors, but for Loki, who would be forced to kill those he had once considered his friends. “In less than a week they have betrayed their sworn kings _twice_. Betraying Odin was bad enough, no one would ever consider Odin weak. But Loki can’t look the other way. _You know this_. Nor does he have several millennia of bloodshed to back up his assertions of rightfully being King of Asgard.”

“We will see.” Thor assured her. “I will send them back immediately. Then Loki can claim they were only to keep us updated as to Laufey’s arrival. Heimdall will surely tell him of this plan.”

Kara pinched the bridge of her nose and counted to ten. “Thor, how did they get to Midgard?”

For once Thor got the point immediately. “Heimdall let them through.” His face turned a sickly grey as all the blood drained from his face. “There must be something we don’t know. If everyone is turning away from him, there must be something to this we don’t know!” He was grasping, and they both knew it.

Kara stood and walked away from him trying desperately to control her temper. Storm clouds were gathering and lightening began to flash as she tried, but failed to rein it all in. She could see the townspeople running for cover inside buildings and some even getting into cars and leaving the small town. Watching them scatter because of her helped calm her more than anything else. Thor understood what the sudden storm meant and kept quiet as he watched her wrestle with the forces of nature.

“I don’t mean that Loki should have been betrayed, just that we do not know if that is what this is about. Maybe Loki needs the help, and they are doing what they can to provide it.” Thor tried to suggest.

Kara knew better. Sif, Heimdall and the others never trusted Loki, and in return he didn’t trust them. It was part of why he hid from Heimdall’s sight, even when he wasn’t up to anything.

If Loki did end up as King, they would all lose their special status as ‘favored’. They all banked on that status for their livelihoods. Thor never saw this side of his friends, and they were careful to only push so far against Loki. There was a point where Thor would take offense on Loki’s behalf. They rarely stepped over it before, but when they did, everyone felt Thor’s wrath.

“Where are they?” He inquired as he joined her at the window. He could see the rain falling hard in the distance just outside of town.

Kara smirked. “Not too far.”

Thor looked down at her expression. “Sister!” He whined just as he often did when Loki had played one of his pranks. She just shrugged, picked up Mjölnir and walked outside.

“Shall we then?” She asked him as she placed the hammer on her belt.

Thor nodded and walked close to her side. He could feel just how strong she was compared to his mortal form, and was for the first time truly awed by Kara’s abilities. Before he had dismissed them as _seiðr_ tricks, his mother had explained several times that Kara’s physiology was the reason for them. That had never made sense to Thor, she had more abilities than any other race, and it made more sense to him for _seiðr_ to be the reason for them. The only _seiðr_ he could feel was his own within her, untainted by other _seiðr_. Even the necklace wasn’t radiating enough seiðr to influence the power of thunder.

They flew quickly towards the rain clouds and the rain seemed to go around them as they flew under the clouds and landed not far from his drenched friends. All of them looked annoyed and tense, but they had the sense to wait near the Bifröst site.

“Friends, you should not have come.” Thor started as they came forward to greet him.

Sif glared at Kara. “We had to come for you Thor. Loki has brought Laufey into the palace, and you remember what he said on Jötunheim about the House of Odin having a traitor in it.”

Thor looked thoughtful while Kara scoffed. “Laufey must love how you have made Asgard weak with your actions and accusations.”

“We have not! We are protecting Asgard, which is more than I can say for you.” She snapped.

“You know Thor cannot go back to Asgard as a mortal.” Kara roared back. “And by coming here, you have backed Loki into a corner. Your friend, you say.” She turned and spit at Thor in disgust. “Deal with her before I have too.”

Thor and the others got between the two. “Enough!” Thor roared, trying to take charge of the situation. Being so much weaker Kara was able to push him much farther away than she had meant to. Fandral had caught him, but the force had landed both of them on the ground.

The warriors all looked at Kara in astonishment as they pulled their weapons out. They had no idea she was so strong. In the Thor-like armor she was even stronger than he normally was. Suddenly this mission to take Thor back wasn’t looking so good.

“Perhaps I should save Loki the trouble and kill you all myself.” Kara snapped as she pulled her heat vision up and shot the sword out of Sif’s hand.

Thor tried to place himself in the way but Volstagg pushed him behind his bulk. “Stay back, we’ll protect you.”

“He’s not the one in need of protection!” Kara screamed as she shot at Fandral’s hilt making him drop his sword as well.

She pulled Mjölnir back and was about to let it go when the Bifröst opened once more. This time it deposited the Destroyer in the Asgard crest. Kara’s eyes widening in shock. It was one thing to know Loki would need to do something, but it was another to see it happen.

“You are all under arrest.” Kara called out once she pulled herself together. “Surrender your arms, and go back to Asgard quietly, or face the Destroyer and myself.”

Sif and Fandral picked up their swords once more, and stepped into battle formation. Fandral looked sick, but straightened his spine readying himself to stand with Sif. Hogun stepped forward with a angry glare at Kara. Volstagg looked torn but he stayed in front of Thor protecting him from the Destroyer, seeing this Kara called out.

“Volstagg do you surrender and swear to protect Thor until this is ended?”

The Destroyer turned its head to stare at Volstagg. Given that it was the Princess asking and she wanted him to protect Thor Volstagg felt he had no choice. “Aye Princess, I yield.”

“Volstagg no!” Cried Sif with a wail of betrayal.

“We protect the crown.” Volstagg yelled back. “Thor needs to be protected if you fight them both. We cannot win.”

“We protect Asgard!” Sif yelled back. The others gathered and prepared to attack.

As the Destroyer opened its visor to fire at the warriors, Kara flew forward and grabbed both Thor and Volstagg at the waist and lifted them away from the fight. She placed them behind her and looked towards the town.

“Thor, go to Jane!” She yelled over the sounds of battle. She quickly assessed the situation and the power of the Destroyer changed the rules. The Agents of SHIELD were still too close.

“I can’t leave them!” He yelled back.

“You have to. They are endangering everyone around.” She pleaded uselessly. She knew Thor would try and play the hero. “You are mortal, and a stray shot will kill you!” She warned him. “Don’t waste your life on their worthless ones!”

“I can help.” Thor obstinately crossed his arms and stood in the way.

Kara screamed wordlessly. SHIELD agents were in harm’s way from the Destroyer’s blasts, and if the Idiots didn’t surrender she was going to be forced to let Loki kill them, or she was going to have to do it herself. Looking towards the town she made a mental line in the sand. If they crossed it she would step in and kill them. Until then she would try to capture them.

“Volstagg, watch him.” She growled at the cowed warrior. “Sit on him if need be.”

She turned and raced off to help evacuate the SHIELD agents, taking them to the other SHIELD site as quickly as she could. There were over ten agents so it took her nearly four minutes to get them to safety.

Meanwhile the battle with the Destroyer was going badly for the warriors. Without Thor’s strength, and Volstagg’s axe, their major damage dealing allies were out of the fight. Thor had been trying to get away from Volstagg. When Sif was thrown from the Destroyer’s back, and its visor rose to shoot her, Thor finally got free and ran forward to protect Sif.

“Please brother, do not do this.” Thor pleaded while his body stayed between Sif’s prone form and the Destroyer’s own upright one. “I know they have done you wrong. I know that they are here against your will. But please do not take their lives. Send them to the dungeons to await trial, I beg you please.”

The Destroyer stalled. Its fire fading and the head cocked to the side as if it was listening. Sif managed to stumble to her feet. The warriors regrouped behind Thor.

Kara landed beside the Destroyer. “They surrender and they live to await trial.” Kara called out. Loki was unable to respond through the metal wonder. She hoped Loki would allow it. She didn’t get a chance to find out as Sif let out a war cry and the others all responded.

Thor was in front of the Destroyer and was batted out of the way as it re-fired its visor. It lashed out at the warriors. Kara’s eyes stared in horror as Thor’s neck snapped with a sickening crunch. She grabbed him from the air and cradled him before he hit the ground. Already she could tell he was dead. Looking with her x-ray vision she could see the bones in shoulders, neck and chest where broken in such a way that he’d died immediately. Brain activity was already slowing and fading. Final Death was only moments from being all too real.

“Thor! Rao, no please. Not like this please.” Kara prayed hard and cried out wishing for a miracle.

The fight stopped immediately. The warriors looked on in horror. The Destroyer stopped and turned to where Kara and Thor lay. It raised its hand as if to reach out, and then fell silent.

Storm clouds began to swirl around her as Kara slowly and very carefully put Thor down completely and slowly got to her feet. Her eyes blazed with deadly red light. With a scream of fury she let her heat vision slam into Sif drilling a hole through her right shoulder, the red light spilling out her back. Her sword clattered to the desert floor as she grunted in pain. Kara’s vision flashed again as she did the same to her right knee, forcing a scream from the female warrior this time as she fell. She’d never walk without a limp again, if she survived at all.

As Kara turned towards the others lightening began to hit the ground around both her and Thor. Several bolts hit his body as she lashed out at Hogun’s right arm. She hit him but as she moved to hit Fandral the lightening hit her and caused her to scream. The wind lifted both Kara and Thor into a maelstrom. The two were circling one another inside the twister that had just as suddenly surrounded them, as lightening pasted between them. Pain ripped through Kara’s body as the power of Thor was ripped from her bones and returned to Thor.

Thor’s wounds from the Destroyer were healed, and his armor flew from Kara in pieces and landed in the right places in the right places, fitting over Thor’s body. Kara’s armor returned to its previous Supergirl styling as the magic that had transformed it also fled the metal and leather. The process felt like she was being unmade and reformed cell by cell. In actual time, it only took about thirty seconds. To Thor and Kara it felt like a lifetime. The air suddenly stopped and they began to fall towards the earth. Thor got his arm under Kara’s back and caught her so he landed on his feet, with Mjölnir in his hand. Kara was draped over his arm, bent backwards and nearly unconscious.

Thor looked at his friends angrily. “We need to get her to a healer.”

He picked her up in both arms. Her shorter red cape fluttered down over his arm. The red leather skirt dragged behind at her waist. Her head was resting against Thor’s broad chest and her golden hair was dirty and tangled around her shoulders. If not for the armor she would look like a child in his arms.

The other warriors wordlessly followed behind him. Fandral and Volstagg helped a bloodied and wounded Sif get to her feet and move to the Bifröst Site. Hogun was holding the wound on his shoulder where Kara had burned a deep hole in it. “Us too,” He muttered quietly.

The group walked as quickly as they could to the Bifröst. “Heimdall!” Thor called out. “Bring us home.”


	8. Chapter 7:  Confrontations and Aftermaths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grief is a process, some go through it quickly, others take a lifetime and never let go.

SoA Part 1   
By Sirya Black  
Chapter 7: Confrontations and Aftermaths  
May 31st 2011

It took a moment for the Bifröst to activate. They were in the tunnel heading for Asgard when Kara forced herself to use nearly the last of the energy in her pendent to make sure she stayed awake. Thor managed to look down at Kara as he felt her aura strengthen, even though it was slight. She was still in pain. Her eyes were closed tightly, and she wasn’t resisting being in his arms.

“Need Midgard’s sun.” Kara croaked out to him, “Heal faster there.”

Thor nodded sharply. “Once we have Eir look at you Sister. She’ll set the healing lamps right. They know how to treat you proper.” He promised as he held her tighter so he would not lose hold of her during the transit between Realms.

They arrived at the observatory without fanfare. Heimdall was there, but he looked as if he’d been attacked. He was limping and draped over the console. Two dead Frost Giants near the entrance explained why he looked worse for wear, both were huge and splashes of ice were coating the inside of the Bifröst control room. “The Allfather was attacked.” He gasped to them, not bothering to explain his own condition. “Loki has managed to kill Laufey. They are in the Allfather’s room.” He reported to Thor. Looking towards the group he shook his head in disappointment. “Your mother is shaken by the assault.”

Thor raised Mjölnir in his off hand and took both he and Kara to the palace in only a minute. The Warriors Three and Sif were left behind with the injured Heimdall. “How did they get here?” Sif demanded as she clenched her teeth against the burning pain she was feeling both in her arm and leg.

Heimdall shook his head. “The ones joining Laufey came in the Palace pathways, like the intruders.” He told them. Sif, Fandral and Hogan exchanged looks of shock. That was where they were supposed to be. Volstagg just looked resigned. He knew they were not going to escape punishment for this. Even with Thor returned, until Loki abdicated he was king. There was no way Loki was going to let this slide, and even if Thor did become king before they were sentenced, there was no way they could escape unscathed.  
“These two were invisible until they attacked me, just after you left.” He told them quietly. 

Sif growled and stood straighter as she started to hobble towards the stable outside where they had left their horses. Fandral and Hogan followed trying to help her stay on her feet as they headed to the horses. Volstagg walked over and helped Heimdall to sit on the dais. 

“Are you alright my friend?” Volstagg asked him once he was on the ground, his sword still in the device but in the off position.

Heimdall sighed deeply and nodded his head. “I should have made more of an effort to stop you.”

“What happened here?” Volstagg asked. “The destroyer was awful quick to get down to Midgard.”

Heimdall shook his head sadly. “Loki moved it here almost immediately after Kara left the other day. He knew we would betray him. Kara fairly warned me the consequences of such an act.” He took a pain filled breath. “It was the Destroyer who killed one of the giants and then blasted me away from my post.” He shook his head sadly. “I only managed to get to the dais to turn it off once it was down and then I knew I had to await a call from either her or the King.” He admitted, knowing he was admitting to leaving them to their fate.

Volstagg nodded slowly as the situation fully registered in his mind. His opinion of Kara jumped up several degrees. Loki had always been court savvy, but with Kara as his ally; they were going to be a formidable team. He only hoped he lived long enough to see it. “I understand why you choose to stand aside and not help us when Sif asked.”

Heimdall shook his head. “It will not be enough for the Princess or Loki, but I hope Asgard prospers now that Thor has returned. I never thought I’d see the day when Thor would need to be the voice of reason over Loki.”

“Nor I my friend,” Volstagg replied mournfully.

 

When Thor and Kara arrived it was to the balcony that was attached to Odin’s bedchambers. The doors were shut and the thick drapes were closing off the room from the light of twilight falling over Asagarth.

Kara groaned but used her powers to put herself down on the ground, the use sparked pain as it had when she received the powers only days ago. Thor kept his arm around her. “Are you recovered Sister?”

Kara shook her head. “I’ll be out of a fight, but let’s get this done. Loki needs us. I pray there are no more enemies within.”

They walked into the hallway that led to the inner protected room that housed Odin during these rest periods. The Einherjar guarding the door sprang to the side to allowing Thor and Kara entry. The room had been encased in a magical bubble that had kept the noise inside during the battle. The seiðr that was receding suggested one of the Frost Giants had cast the spell that expired when she or he had died. Shattered particle pieces and a small blood pool were lying off to one side of Odin’s bed and another Frost Giant was dead near the foot of the bed. The sword belonging to the Queen still embedded in the giant’s throat. The angle suggested the Queen had been standing next to the bed and the giant on the first step leading to the raised platform the bed rested on. The golden healing field was undisturbed, and Odin still rested in the blankets, unmoving.

“Where is Laufey?” Thor bellowed as they entered into the room not taking any of the signs in as Kara did. Loki stood shielding their mother, and brandishing Gungnir. The sound of Thor’s shouts brought the guards running inside the room. Loki’s grip tightened as he took in Thor standing there in his full glory and Kara barely standing upright beside him.

Loki’s eyes widened in astonishment, “You’re alive.” He gasped in disbelief and relief. “I thought I’d acc-” Kara could see that he’d cut the connection to the Destroyer, and had not seen anything that happened after he’d swatted Thor aside. Laufey must have taken advantage of Loki’s distraction. His required punishment of the four idiots was the perfect time for Laufey to attack Odin and Heimdall.

“Thor!” Frigga cried out and she ran to him, hugging him tightly.

Kara leaned against the doorway in obvious pain. Loki not seeing any other threat rushed to her side. “Kara, what happened?” He quickly cast a spell to see if she had been hurt. Midgard’s most powerful ones could not kill Kara, though they could knock her senseless if the concussion blast was large enough. Magical weapons could do quite some damage as they could penetrate her invulnerability, and Thor was carrying his hammer once more. Loki was greatly relieved when his spell told him she was exhausted, not hurt.

Kara gave him a pained smile. “Thor’s got his powers back.” She whispered as he held her close to him. “It kinda hurt as much as getting them did. I’ll be fine.” She assured him as she held him tight. “Sorry I couldn’t delay him longer.”

Loki helped her to a seat, before he straightened up. “I know, and I do not blame you.” He told her carefully as he gave her a pained grim smile. “I have to go and make sure this ends the way we hoped it would.” He whispered to her urgently, and kissed her cheek tenderly. “I am glad you are both alive and well.” His fingers trailed down her cheek as he stood.

She squeezed his hand. “Stay,” She pleaded. “The giants at the Observatory are dead. There is no need to rush off. We have time to finish the treaties with the sons.” She pleaded, she knew if he left the consequences could be dire. Loki rarely acted rashly, but when he did that was when his plans would often not work in his best interests.

Thor was extracting himself from Frigga and began to stalk forward. “Loki,” He began with a threatening growl. “We will have words.”

Loki immediately got defensive, and placed Gungnir in a ready position. “We shall see about that talk later.” He snarled back at Thor. “Right now I have a planet to destroy.” Loki vanished from sight and Thor bellowed and started stalking towards the door to chase after Loki.

Kara turned her eyes towards Frigga. “Planet? What?” Frigga finally noticed Kara was hurt, and rushed to her.

“Kara? What happened to you?” She cried as she ran magic through her fingers to see how hurt she was. The answers were not good; Kara’s energy levels were dropping rapidly. She shouldn’t even be awake now.

“I need to go after him.” Thor told them as he passed by them.

“Thor!” Kara yelled stopping him briefly. “Tell him ‘El Mayarah. U khneho is onlu us stehons us zhehd wonviwtiols’.”

Thor nodded and left quickly. Frigga turned to her, “Do you think that will be enough?” She questioned Kara’s use of the Kryptonian phrases. 

“He’ll know what I mean. It should be enough. I pray it will be enough.” She sighed as she finally gave in and passed out. The pain and fatigue of the power drain finally taking its toll on her body as the pendant drained of all magic. Only her need to defend and see Loki had gotten her this far.

 

She woke in the Healing Hall under a Soul Forge. The lights were blinking quietly in tune to her steady heartbeat. It was full dark now and quiet, so very quiet. It made the pulsing light seem loud as a beating drum, or that could be the blood rushing past her ears, she was unsure at the moment, everything was still slightly fuzzy in her mind. 

She blinked a few times to clear her eyes of the blurriness of sleep, and looked around the Healing Hall. Frigga and Thor were in chairs nearby. Both were sleeping and looking rather rough. Frigga’s hair was falling out of its braided coiffure and her dress was wrinkled. Thor looked worse. He had a nasty looking bruise on his cheek. He’d made an effort to wash out the glowing particles of dust that still rested in his hair, and on his cloak and armor.

Eir came in quietly and moved to her side. She waved her hand giving them privacy and cutting off sound outside the bubble. “I am glad to see you are finally awake Princess. You had us all worried for a few hours.” She informed her patient with soft soothing words and manners.

“What happened?” Kara coughed roughly. Her dry throat caused her voice to sound raspy and quiet. She wondered how long she had been out is this was how she sounded now.

“When Thor regained his power it dragged a great deal of energy from you to fuel the transfer.” Eir explained quietly. Kara knew that. She remembered that much. 

“His power was never intended for you to hold for him.” She clarified for her as she pulled up an image from before, showing just how dangerously low her energy levels had been drained. “You’re body has been changed in part to become a little like one of us, and the trauma of his powers being ripped away left some nerves and muscles damaged.” The muscles of her limbs and lower back had been colored in reds and oranges before fading back to green, meaning they had healed quickly.

Kara gasped but Eir shushed her. “Calm dear. The damage was completely reversible and you are fully healed. We are now feeding you yellow sunlight at Midgard’s frequency to speed your recovery.” Her calm and soothing manner was off; she had tense lines of stress around her eyes and a fatigue about her that was almost unnatural. “I kept you unconscious until I knew the damage had been repaired, even with the sunlight, the amount of change needed time to be absorbed by your body.”

“So what has changed?” She asked after Eir fed her from a pouch with a slick gel in it to help rehydrate her throat while she lay on her back without fear of choking.

“You are reading strangely on our Soul Forge as you always have.” Eir smiled at her as Kara fidgeted. The Soul Forge had insisted Kara was a chimera of the races of the Nine Realms as it was not programed for Kryptonians, and for a strange reason the machine refused to acknowledge the input as normal. It insisted Kara was part Asgardian, Vanir, Ljósálfar, Fire and Frost Giant. Eir had given up trying to program the Soul Forge to say otherwise when Kara was still a young child. She never used it to diagnosis her illnesses and injuries, instead relying on her own skills as a healer to do so.

“It shows your health is as good as it always has been, but it also indicates you have a godly aura now.” Eir stated matter-of-factly. “It’s very weak, but growing slowly now that it’s no longer tied to Thor’s power.”

“So I am one of you now.” She sighed as a tear trickled down her temple and into her hair.

Eir nodded but gave her a matronly gaze, filled with warm kindness and pride. “You always were Princess.” She assured her as she wiped her tear away gently.

“What’s going to happen to me now?” She asked the healer, somewhat frightened of being alone at the moment. Her whole world had changed. While she had been carrying Thor’s power she had refused in her mind to consider it permanent. Now suddenly instead of an unknown amount of time, she knew for certain she would have several millennia of life. It was something she had considered when her body had stopped aging quickly, but now it was a certainty. “Will I go back to Midgard?”

Eir looked conflicted and sad. “That would be your and the King’s choice to make Princess. Things have been going too fast for anyone to know what will happen now. Change is usually much slower than it has been this week.”

Kara looked around for Loki. She had assumed she had missed him in the dark but she couldn’t see him anywhere. “Where is Loki?”

Eir’s face crumpled in grief and she looked away. “Prince Loki is dead. He fell from the Rainbow Bridge when it exploded during his confrontation with the others.”

Kara couldn’t process the news, her mind clouded. She could faintly hear a number of alarms go off and shouting. Her mind replayed images of Loki for her. Remembering and implanting memories so they would not fade. She had done the same when she processed the destruction of Krypton. When she knew she would never see Kal El again. 

Slowly the real world began to fade back into view and she could see Thor holding Frigga close as she tried to reach out to Kara. Eir was casting spells over her body trying to calm her heart rate that had climbed dangerously high.

“Loki,” She whispered repeatedly. Frigga was collapsing in Thor’s arms, crying almost hysterical tears of grief, and Thor’s face was streaked with them.

“I’m so sorry Kara.” Thor’s voice rumbled through the noise. Kara’s eyes cut to him as she stopped speaking.

“You told him. El Mayarah.” She gasped to him. Her lungs couldn’t seem to get enough air.

Thor nodded and cried quietly. “He said to tell you, ‘Khuhp lovn rraop. Imh soehu, boute imh no khneho likn rraop.’, before he let go.” Thor’s clumsy use of Kryptonise was slightly garbled but she understood the words he meant to convey.

Kara emotionally shut down as she processed them. I love you too. I’m sorry; I’m not a hero like you. She turned her head away from them and closed her eyes tightly, feeling the burn of her tears forcing their way through. She refused to say another word.

Three days later there was a state funeral for Loki. Without a body, the boat had an effigy placed inside one of his ceremonial suits of armor. Kara stood beside Frigga and Odin rfusing to stand beside Thor. She stayed long after the other mourners had left and refused to leave the shore. Frigga had asked her to come to her when she was ready to come inside, but Kara had no intention of doing so. She flew slowly over the city to the broken bridge edge when she no longer wanted to stand on the shore.

Heimdall looked sadly away as the black robed princess drifted by like a ghost to the edge. He held his breath as she tilted herself so she was looking towards where the black hole that had taken Loki had formed. She turned her head to the side, putting her right ear towards the Void and listened hard. Her hand went to the pendant around her neck as she concentrated. It broke Heimdall’s heart to see her so broken. The necklace barely flickered with any seiðr. The pendant drew a little of Loki seiðr had remained in the Palace into itself, replenishing to continue to serve its purpose, before it could die completely.

He knew she had been told about Loki’s attempt to use the bridge to destroy Jötunheim. Only the fact the world was so scarcely populated near the Bifröst site had saved so many lives. Earthquakes and ice slides on Jötunheim had killed many, though no more than Thor’s ill-fated attack earlier in the week. The only lasting damage had been the large scar upon the face of the Realm where the landing site had been. Using the Bifröst to go there would be dangerous from now on, even if the inhabitance wished for contact with Asgard. The land was unstable and prone to shifting as aftershocks ripped across the area.

Still the confrontation at the edge still haunted his mind. Loki had been beseeching Odin for approval.

“I could have done it Father, for you, for all of us.” He had begged for Odin to say anything that would have been approving or encouraging.

Before Odin could reply to him Thor had yelled, “El Mayarah, u khneho is onlu us stehons us zhehd wonviwtiols.” Loki had looked startled to hear Thor speak Kryptonian, but he’d nodded looking more peaceful and then turned his face beseeching to Odin once more. His grip had tightened as if he was waiting to pull himself up.

Odin’s softly spoken words had changed everything. “No Loki.”

With those words the light of hope died in Loki’s eyes. He had looked at Thor and whispered. “Khuhp lovn rraop. Imh soehu, boute imh no khneho likn rraop,” and then let go, his eyes closing and he allowed his body to fall into the Void to be lost forever. 

No one on Asgard knew Heimdall understood Kara’s language. He’d learned it as Kara and Brainiac taught it to Frigga. He had always assumed that Loki loved no one, that he was using Kara as he had everyone else. Now looking back when he had a moment to reflect he wondered how he could have been so blind as to not see their bond was true. Only Heimdall had heard his last whispered words of, “Please forgive me My Kara for leaving you.” Those words had changed Heimdall’s mind to everything Loki had done. He was ashamed of his inactions that allowed the Warriors Three and Sif to go to Midgard and start the final confrontation.

He had known leaving the sword as he attended to his dinner would be a temptation they would not ignore. They had asked him for his support and he had refused in such a way that Sif knew to come back later when he would be away.

While their use of the Bifröst had been without his ‘knowledge or approval’ officially, Heimdall knew he had overstepped in allowing them access. He did not protest the new watchmen that would be overseeing him from now on, to ensure no unauthorized access would be given to anyone. Even though the Bifröst remained broken, the watchmen had been stationed already. The guard at night was a quiet man. He had left both him and the Princess to their thoughts. The day guard, Skurge was an annoying talkative man. That was man was a true torture to the steadfast and normally silent guardian.

Kara was still listening to the Void when dawn broke. Thor would be here soon to ask after Lady Jane Foster. He had watched their blooming relationship while Kara was busy with other details, and helping Lady Pepper during Thor’s banishment. It seemed his time on Midgard was well spent. Though Heimdall thought Lady Darcy had done a better job of taking Thor’s pride down several notches with her education of Midgard lessons she had started him on. Lady Jane had unintentionally pointed out just how poor Thor’s understanding of the Nine and seiðr were. When he tried to explain Asgard’s place in the Nine Realms, and how their technology worked to her she had many questions he could not answer that left them both frustrated.

He was somewhat worthy of Asgard once more, and Mjölnir, despite his brief period of time on Midgard. Thor was haunted by the choice to destroy the bridge that could get him back to the Lady Jane. He had not even had a chance to say goodbye before he had left. Thor also deeply regretted those same actions and choices ultimately lead to Loki’s death. Worse still was the grief that lined the faces of the Queen and Princess. Thor had wept long over the knowledge that he had not just yanked him back onto the Bridge. Instead he had waited for Loki to reach up. 

There were a few who were celebrating Loki’s demise. They were careful to keep such activities out of the sight of the Royal Family, but he knew Kara could hear them when she listened so intently. Every mention of Loki’s name brought her attention to them, and with one ear towards the Void that left one towards Asgard’s palace and capital. Turned towards the stupid warriors and nobles within who rejoiced that the smart, arrogant, younger Prince would no longer see through their ploys. 

He could hear Thor’s horse as it race along the remains of the bridge. He knew Kara would have heard it too, and he waited with a held breath to see what she would do. She seemed to pause and then allowed herself to sink deeper so she could not be seen unless one looked over the edge. It made Heimdall nervous, but she stopped sinking after she was level with the underside of the bridge, like a dark shadow of grief, and he let the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding go.

Thor moved much slower and quietly these days, a testament of how much he had changed. Heimdall was unsure how much of it was his banishment, and how much was Loki’s death. He doubted even Thor knew. The watched Prince approached him from behind. Heimdall’s eyes as always faced outward, seeing all the Realms and beyond. 

“How fair’s Midgard?” He asked as he had each morning of the last three days. His voice dampened by his grief was much quieter than his voice of the just a week prior when he had demanded access to Jötunheim.

“It is the same. Everyone fairs as well as they can.” Heimdall answered, his tone dull from the strain of watching and speaking at the same time. “Lady Jane is confused by your and the Princess’s absence. She and her companion Lady Darcy are still packing their belongings for their move to Malibu. They have begun the journey as they do not know you have returned to Asgard for the foreseeable future. They do suspect you have both returned as they saw the Bifröst open from the distance. The Kryptonian computer has arranged the transfer of funds and equipment, so they are prepared to try and re-create the Bifröst from Midgard when Lady Jane finds out our device is in need of repairs.”

Thor grimly smiled. “If any on Midgard could, it would be Lady Jane. I think she would attempt to build her own Bifröst whether ours was functional or not.”

“SHIELD is still watching for the Princess’s return.” He continued to give his report, adding what he knew Kara would want to hear as well. “The Director is most anxious to speak to her now that he has Lord Stark’s agreement to help with his specialized team of defenders. Lord Stark has also managed to develop a new element in the universe that powers his armor. He grows concerned with the Princess’s absence, as does his Lady Pepper.”

Thor nodded slowly. “I have no idea if she can even return if she chooses to.” He looked down at his feet in an unusual moment of insecurity. It was one of the new things about Thor since his return, this uncertainty of his actions being correct. Before he would not care and assume he was always right, even if he was proved wrong later.

“The princess knows of a few paths to Midgard. When she is ready, she will go.” Heimdall assured him. “Her own cultural mourning period is different from ours.” He enlightened the Prince.

Thor looked hurt but nodded quietly again staring out at the Void beyond the edge, not realizing Kara was there. “Do you think she will forgive me for what happened?”

Kara came up above the edge of the Bridge once more looking more like a ghost than a person. To a human she could be mistaken for a female version of the Grim Reaper, though she had skin covering her skull, and no scythe in hand.

“No.” Her voice was devoid of any warmth. Her skin held a white pallor that had hints of blue from the cold of the Void though she seemed to never feel it. 

“You killed him. You could have listened to him for once instead of your friends.” Her voice sounded so empty that it seemed to echo with the depth of the Void itself. Heimdall wondered if she was channeling the vastness of space in her grief. She had been staring into the abyss for hours each day. As the humans said, ‘if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee.’ 

“You could have talked to him, instead you attacked him.” Her voice was so devoid of life it made both men shiver.

Thor’s grief-stricken face contorted with his pain, sorrow and gut-wrenching guilt. “I had no choice he would have destroyed Jötunheim! I didn’t want to hurt him, I love him even now… but he tried to kill me, he already had once!”

Kara’s unsympathetic dead gaze stared right through him. “Of course, you wanted to destroy Jötunheim first, and you can now hate him for thinking of a better way of doing it than you ever could have.”

Thor’s eyes widened with absolute horror at her words. “NO, Killing warriors is one thing! Genocide, that is sickening. I would never condemn a whole planet for the actions of their King and warriors!”

“They are dying anyway.” Kara replied remotely, taciturn and deathly. “No more than a generation or two left. They starve and perish as their Realm dies. At least Genocide is a quick death compared to what Odin has done. You must be so proud to follow in his footsteps… What you have done to them by killing their hunters, and warriors. Those that feeding and protect them against the beasts of the tundra.”

Thor stared in disbelief at Kara’s argument. “These are not the words of my peace loving sister.” He finally choked out, “I admit I have done them wrong, and Wergild alone cannot make up for the loss.” He cried out with true remorse, pleading with her to understand.

“You have no sister, as you now have no brother.” She stated just as lifeless as she had all her other words. She floated closer until she was by his bowed head, ignoring the tears that ran down his cheeks she whispered in his ear. “Step foot on Midgard again and I will not hesitate to kill you… and all who surround you.” 

Her eyes now bore an emotion. It was pure arctic-cold hatred. “You killed Loki, and I will avenge him when I get the chance.” Her eyes stared deep into Thor soul and he knew at that moment she meant every word.

She flew away towards the palace and that was the last time Thor saw her on Asgard. She never said goodbye to anyone and no one is certain when she left. Even Heimdall was unsure as He had turned his gaze away from her. 

The words spoken at the bridge had been the only words she had spoken to anyone since she was told of what had happened in the Healing Halls. Thor had sworn Heimdall to secrecy regarding Kara’s threat, citing grief and not true intent since she had left rather than try and attempt any actions against him. Frigga cried for the loss of another child in a week. Odin was angered by her actions, but he did not recall her knowing her grief was strong.

Kryptonian grieving periods were two weeks long, except for those of a child, or mate in which a Kryptonian year was common. No vengeance or conflict could occur during that first two weeks, it was meant to give both sides time to calm so blood feuds would not overcome the justice system. 

The ‘Time of Reflection’ gave Kara enough of an interval to know she could not stay on Asgard while she still mourned. The few who rejoiced at Loki’s death would be the first to die after the enforced mourning period was over if she did. Since that number included Sif (it had only been limited to a single comment but Kara still would never forgive the words), she was sure it would cause a war between the warriors and herself if she stayed. It would be a war in which she would not hold back. She had always stayed her hand, not believing that they would truly betray their Prince as they had. She knew better now.

Kara had sat down before she left Asgard to pen a last letter to her mother. In it she detailed her own account of what transpired on Earth. Her story was biased and it detailed her thoughts about; Thor’s insistence on everything being Loki’s fault, the Warriors betrayal of Loki and Asgard, of Volstagg’s efforts to protect a mortal Thor and Sif’s actions that led to Thor’s mortal death at the destroyer’s hand, accidental though it may be. In it she also laid out the fact that the Warriors and Heimdall had acted treasonously against Asgard. She also voiced her fears that no justice would be sot for Loki, and as such she wanted nothing more to do with Asgard until that was rectified. She also asked for space while she grieved since she could not get that in Asgard with her ability to hear what others truly thought. Her mother would understand what she meant by that.   
She left the note on her desk for her mother to find when she came to visit her rooms, or until a maid brought it to her.

 

June 16 2011

It took nearly a week before Darcy had been able to get Kara to stop using her thousand mile stare. She had stopped by to see Kara everyday once she had returned. Jane had moved to the new lab and was disappointed to learn that the bridge had been destroyed. She wasn’t as concerned about the ‘waste of time’ moving to the city had been. With the news there would be no more Bifröst openings anyway there was no need to live out in New Mexico’s desert. She had all the lab results she could ever want to analyze right here anyway. She also had the time and money to rebuild her own instruments and start work on the device that would at least open small wormholes to Asgard for messages. The device might take a decade or more, but at least she set the goal to start it.

“Is there any way to fix the Asgardian Bifröst?” Jane had asked.

“It will take time,” was the only answer Kara would give her. She never gave estimates since she had no idea herself.

She stopped wearing her regular armor in tribute to her mourning. Supergirl’s new outfit was a simple black bodysuit, modelled after the armored cat suit of the Black Widow, at Tony and JARVIS’s insistence. On her arms were bands of green to show whom she mourned for. Her own symbol still was on her upper right chest, but a deep red and only the size of her hand.

She had agreed to a meeting with Coulson a month after her return when he received several letters in Kryptonian from Frigga with a note attached in English asking him to deliver them to Supergirl.

“I was kinda of Harry Potterish to get letters delivered by ravens.” He had chuckled lightly as they sat at his desk and he handed her a cup of coffee. His new office in L.A. looked more like a lawyer’s office but he still had the same coffee maker sitting behind his desk. Now he was also surrounded by memorabilia of past spy gadgets, trading cards, and sports events and players. It was obvious he loved his collection, and knew what the history behind each piece was.

“Their names are Huginn and Muninn,” Kara told him quietly. She took a sip of the coffee as she stared at the birds sitting outside the roof of the building across the street. “They are in your myths too, though they do not actually speak.” They ruffled their feathers but looked away from her when she glared at them. She had chased them out of the Realm several times when they got close to Stark Industries, Pepper or Tony trying to deliver letters before. That was why her mother finally sent the letters to Coulson. Kara wouldn’t get a chance to chase them off before the letters were accepted.

Coulson’s eyes lit up, “Fascinating.” He waited for Kara to add anything else, but when it became clear she would not he cleared his throat and continued. “So the director wants to meet with you.”

“I’m surprised he isn’t here already.” She replied sounding like a bored teenager. She was well aware the man was in the next room. “I can save you time. My answer is no. I can’t, and wouldn’t, even if I were allowed.”

“What was the question?” Coulson asked, trying to get her to open up. It worried him on several levels to see her acting this unfriendly after their last encounter. She was too powerful. If she went and became a problem, they would be in serious trouble. They had no strategies in place to deal with her if she went rogue like Magneto or Red Skull.

“No, I will not join the Avengers Initiative.” She stated calmly as she continued to sip at her coffee. “I will however agree to be on call if the situation calls for it. I will never work for any agency that is actively trying to find a way to kill me. The fact that you have no active plan in place for me already doesn’t do you any credit, since I know there is a team trying to put one together as we speak.”

Coulson shrugged his shoulders in a manner that suggested he wasn’t bothered by the idea, nor was he supportive of it. “SHIELD has one for every super-powered being we know of on the planet, in case they turn on the world as others have.” No need to mention names since they both were aware of who SHIELD’s predecessor, the SSR, had been fighting during WWII, and who had been freed from a concentration camp, by Captain America.

“Either way the answer is no,” Kara replied quietly as she stood and picked up the letters on the desk, “Was there anything else?”

Fury entered the room at that point looking rather disgruntled. From Stark’s stories this look was common for the man, so Kara didn’t use it to gauge his mood regarding her refusal to join his little team.

“And how are we supposed to contact you Ms. El?” Fury asked her with his typical amount of sarcasm. “You don’t have any known way of communicating, though you seem to be able to tap into our systems whenever you want.” He pushed, referencing her using their comm system when Thor attacked their mobile command post.

She stared down the director for a moment before speaking a little louder. “Brainiac?”

“Yes Zor El.” The Kryptonian computer replied using the speaker system of Coulson’s computer. Fury was angry but kept his temper in check. Coulson had actually been surprised enough by the voice to jump for once.

“Allow Agent Coulson and Director Fury to contact me via voice link when I am not otherwise engaged.” She turned to Coulson, “Just asked for Brainiac to relay the message, otherwise he will not activate.” Coulson and Fury shared an uneasy looked.

“Changing permissions now, is that all?” The computer asked with a monotone he didn’t commonly use.

“Yes, please remove yourself from their systems.” Kara responded, returning to stare at Fury.

“Understood.” Brainiac stated before shutting down.

Fury stared at her with an intensity that normally would have been intimidating, but Kara was used to Odin gaze. As badass as Director Fury looked, he didn’t have a nearly five thousand years of experience in making his one-eye gaze as effective as Odin.

“Your computer was in our systems?” He growled at her.

Kara shrugged as she stared back at the leather clad man. She had to admit she liked the duster look. “I needed to know what you wanted from me. Now I know.” Her answer seemed to annoy Fury further. She carefully placed her coffee cup down as she continued to look unconcerned with his attitude. “Brainiac is now shutdown and unless you activate him, he will no longer be mining your systems for information regarding myself or those I care for.”

“On paper I agree with the need and the idea of your Avengers Initiative.” She informed him with her arms crossed over her chest. “I cannot however agree to become an actual member.” 

Fury’s jaw clenched as he continued to try and intimidate the girl. “Not only is it not allowed as I am officially still an ambassador.” She continued, “As such I can’t take sides in disputes among the many governments on Midgard. Nor can I seem to be taking orders from any government agency that could, or would, and does work against the best interests of Midgard or Asgard.” Her emphasis on the word ‘or’ not being missed by anyone within hearing of the meeting, or the recording that was being made by Coulson’s computer that was to be reviewed again later.

Fury stared at her for several seconds before he nodded slowly. “That is to be expected. The team is being designed to be a force to help if the world needs extraordinary people to defend it against outside threats.” His emphasis wasn’t missed by her either.

Kara took a deep breath. “And in that type of situation you can expect me to respond with all due haste to protect the lives of innocent populations, as long as it’s not Asgard itself that is attacking. I can’t think of any reason they would. Midgard is considered a protectorate of Asgard and attacking you would be counter-productive and costly.” She looked sternly at Fury when he looked as if he wished to argue that point. 

“As I said, I do agree on the principles behind your Initiative. I just can’t legally add my name to such a thing. Work with them, certainly. Answer any call for assistance, I’ll do my best. But that is the maximum I can promise.” She laid out her restrictions coldly. “Do not call me for some black op that has nothing to do with protecting the world. If innocents are at risk, ask and if I am able I will gladly be there. Are we clear?”

Fury looked disappointed but backed down physically, his aggressive stance relaxed and he took a step back. “I understand your position, and I am glad you understand mine.” He didn’t offer her his hand, and she didn’t offer hers.

Kara let out a snort. “I also am never going to put you on a list I trust as long as you are looking into ways to kill me.”

Fury closed his eyes in aggravation but gave a tiny nod of acknowledgement. It’s not like he trusted her either. Kara returned the gesture and walked out.

Coulson waited until the sonic boom that followed her departure was heard. He placed a device meant to stop electronic bugs on is desk, and turned it on. He waited for Fury to turn to him before he asked, “Did you get the answers you were looking for?”

“Mostly,” He admitted, his voice betraying his concern to his second-in-command. “I’d prefer she was onboard, but with her title this is the best we can hope for... That crack about Asgard thinking of us as a protectorate is a concern, but also encouraging. That suggests we’d have allies in a fight, as long as it isn’t them we are fighting.” He paused as he stared out the window once more. “Though it begs the question, where were they when we were dealing with aliens before?”

“At least she is on our side.” Coulson agreed carefully. “And I think Asgard is unlikely to interfere with us, otherwise the Queen wouldn’t have written to a SHIELD agent, even if I am the only way to get a letter to her daughter. It would seem unlikely now that she is here for them to continue to ignore us as they have for the past millennium. They have also now sent their son too. It looks like we are going to be seeing more of them now.”

“I am not so sure she is on anyone’s side.” Fury speculated as he looked at where the two ravens had been sitting across the street, they were now gone. “She’s changed from when you last spoke.”

Coulson reluctantly nodded. “She is taking the death of her brother very hard.”

“She also didn’t ask anything about that robot we took custody of.” Fury looked speculative.

Coulson shrugged unconcerned. He had no doubt she knew they had it since calls had to be made to make sure it wasn’t one of Stark’s. Their agents had seen it arrive from Asgard, but protocols required them to check since Supergirl did work with Stark, and it could have been his. 

“From the tone of the note, and the fact that it came to me after trying to contact her. It all suggests she is not on good terms with Asgard at the moment, most likely due to her grief. Thor is possibly a reason too since he disappeared at the same time as she did, and Loki died.” Coulson reasoned.

“Or at least whoever was sending the letters thinks that.” Fury speculated. “You are sure they are from the Queen?”

“That is who signed them.” Coulson told him confidently. He knew the ravens were, according to Myth, Odin’s personal messengers, which means Royal Family members would be the only likely people who would use them.

“I’ve gotten the impression Zor El blames certain people for the death of her brother. I also know the colors on her arm means she is allied with her dead brother and not anyone else from her family.” The note Frigga had added that information for Coulson. She had described events that took place on Asgard as traumatic being for Zor El. News of Loki’s death, and Zor El’s grief had been a warning. He knew what to expect when he called for her thanks to Frigga’s warnings. The Queen had also explained that the ravens were needed to send messages at present, but Zor El had refused to take the letters. Frigga citied that she likely thought they were from Thor or Odin. She hoped once her daughter realized the letters were from her they would no longer need to use SHIELD as an intermediary.

“Do you think she will ask for the robot back?” Fury asked. “Our scientists have yet to make a dent in the thing’s armor, or find its power source.”

“No.” Coulson pulled up his personal files and clearance level access and saw it had all be accessed he turned the screen to show Fury. “She knows everything I do; about Asgard, her, the projects I am working on currently, and anything I have access to in the SHIELD databases.” Listed in the accessed files was the Destroyer’s information and location at The Fridge.

Fury scowled menacingly, “Everything?”

“Yes, everything in the digital files.” Coulson confirmed firmly. From the way he spoke Fury knew what files were not on the mainframe, such as any reference to ‘The Guest House’. He relaxed a little more. Certain files were only hard copy because of Stark and, others like him, who loved hacking SHIELD whenever they were; bored, needed, or wanted information. The Guest House was one such project, and if Stark ever knew the kind of things SHIELD had done there, he and Supergirl might take a crack at SHIELD the way Stark had gone after the Ten Rings. Even Coulson had refused to oversee the project due to ethical concerns.

“The little intelligence we have suggests Thor would be more malleable, and willing to sign on to the Avenger Initiative. Is this true?” Fury wanted to know.

Coulson took a moment to think. “If he ever returns, yes it is likely true. He’s driven by glory and attention according to my own observation and Zor El’s stories.” Fury looked more comfortable with that. “Working with him might push Zor El to fight against us at this time.” He warned the Director.

“The relationship is that bad?” Fury asked somewhat surprised and quite alarmed. The idea that she could turn on them for working with Thor was terrifying since she was at present unstoppable by their own technology.

“Well… it’s not good.” Coulson admitted reluctantly. His vague statement making it clear they had no idea how her relations with Asgard stood. The Queen’s note to Coulson hadn’t included much, but if she was chasing off the Ravens for possibly having a message from Thor, then it was a reasonable guess she blamed him.

“Overall, I don’t think she cares about the fact we have the robot. She can’t return it to Asgard right now, and she hasn’t been requested to take it away from us since she isn’t talking to anybody up there.” Coulson summarized. “The Tesseract could be a different thing all together. Myths and legends suggest it belongs to Odin, and it was stored here in trust to a group of people to watch over.”

“The temple Schmitt destroyed during the war. It could have been old enough to have been from the turn of the last millennia.” Fury hypothesized as he thought about the implications of that. “He knew what was there, and went to get it for Hydra.”

Coulson confirmed his guess. “That was what we were told post-war by his followers. The Tesseract was left behind after Asgard protected Earth from invasion by the Frost Giants of Jötunheim, and their king Laufey.”

“How long has she known we had it?” Fury wondered, looking to see if Coulson knew the answer.

“At least six months.” Coulson replied. Fury’s head snapped up as Coulson brought up a video on Fury’s tablet that showed Supergirl hovering near the project PEGASUS’s underground facility shortly after it had been moved there. The surveillance from base security reported she hovered for several minutes. She then left without attempting to enter the base’s immediate airspace, the grounds, or do anything but look intently at it.

“She just looked at the base.” Fury asked as he looked up from the report. He seemed puzzled. “She didn’t bring out any device to scan the area.”

“I didn’t see anything like that when I looked, so I had had FitzSimmions analyze the video. I also had Romanoff look it over as an extra precaution. She agreed, no device, Supergirl just stared at it hard before leaving. Her eyes might have glowed blue, but that could be a trick of the light. Even Romanoff was unsure about that.” Coulson admitted. “And she showed up only five hours after we had brought the Tesseract online, but a week after it arrived. We have a possible sighting in 2009, but we didn’t know about her then and she wasn’t alone. The footage was too grainy to make out much beyond two possible hovering figures in the sky.” He didn’t need to mention that after that the Tesseract had been moved eight times, once to each of the main SHIELD bases, trying to make sure no one knew where the cube was for nearly two years before bringing it to PEGASUS.

“You think the powering up of the cube allowed her to sense it?” Fury asked thoughtfully. “Why did it take five hours for her to come? It’s still daylight in these videos.”

“There was an earthquake in Chile that day.” Coulson reminded Fury. “Her hair and armor looks dirty on the close up images we managed to get. She likely came as soon as she was done helping there.”

“So we have an emotionally compromised, super-powered teenager, who knows too much about our level of intelligence and technology, and who likely understands more than we do about the most powerful object this world has ever seen. Do I have that right?” Fury asked him with his sarcasm level back to normal.

“That would be a very good summary of the situation sir.” Coulson replied calmly.

Fury glared at the tablet before he glared at Coulson. “You are now her handler in addition to the others.”

“Understood sir,” Coulson stood up straighter. That meant he was still overseeing all the Avenger Initiative candidates. Getting Supergirl was actually not going to add a much to his workload as she was at best going to be considered an on-call consultant. It would add a few written report assignments to his workload at most, and only when they had contact with her. 

Even if he dedicated a decent amount of time to her file each week he’d still be doing about the same amount of work as before. Her actions had always been investigated, and the reports handed to him since she was considered a 089. It would just be official now that all paperwork regarding Supergirl would cross his desk instead of several others first.

“I hate dealing with kids.” Fury muttered as he stormed out of Coulson’s office.


	9. Interlude.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Norms Speak

Interlude.

 

Near the World Tree roots one of three beings hissed in agitation as the fields of time wavered and crackled with energy. 

“She will be needed in the near future to fulfill her future duties. There must be a bridge.” The first told the other two.

“There is nothing to stop her from doing so now.” A second replied as she avoided being knocked off her feet by the time wave that rushed by them, making the ground tremble. “A bridge can be made with the right tool.”

“We closed the paths back when we allowed her through.” The last stated angrily as she stood tall and straight in defiance of the winds. “No others could follow, or we’d have had to deal with the Rozz invasion without any help from the humans. It was better they stayed where they deserved to be in the Phantom Zone.”

“We must share her or return her.” The first told them sternly. At her proclamation the winds and time storm lessened, as if to hear her words. “We always knew she would need to be shared. The other survivor will be able to do her duties from her first life without the Rozz dangers, but the sideways moves and actions that will be required of her, she will need to do on her own. Ourselves from her Earth will continue to agree to share her so we could see a day without Ragnarök within the Multiverse finally. To achieve this, share her we must, or the end of our time will come here as it always has.”

“There is no way to return that far into the void of space and time between Trees.” The second waved the idea away. The storm screamed it’s fury at the Three and she cowered slightly. “Momentary breaches must occur closer to each other. This far apart we would need to intervene directly.” She reminded the others. “That opens us to more than just Her Earth.”

“There was once.” The third hissed and she glared at the whirling winds. “It was unstable and required intervention. Our others have allowed such before. We have done so to bring her here. We must build that bridge. The doorway will have a key.”

“She will go back and never return if she builds it.” The first warned. 

“Without an anchor we have no hold on her. The other has more to sway her and loyalty of blood. She would return to him now without love to hold her here.” The second agreed.

“We will see that our new bridge is accomplished by another so she cannot escape her destiny on her own.” The first answered as she looked to the future once more, seeing the path they had to take to stop the time storm. “We will only be allowed to continue custody because we would be willing to share her as needed. The time draws near to when we must do so. If she does not go, we will lose her and any hope of defeating the end of the gods and our own.”

“I see.” The second said. “The walls are weakening due to your choice.” She scowled as the shield that protects the World tree gained an entrance point but the time storm died down to a small gentle breeze immediately.

“The one who needs to cross has the plans of old now. I placed them in the hands of those who have been foolish enough to build such things before.” The third relaxed now that the past was settled into its even flow. It took only a few hours for the change in time flow to smooth out and settle into the new course. During that time the breeze wrapped around them in a soothing manner, so opposed to his displeasure earlier.

“He has them and he has already begun to make the changes needed.” The third told her sisters.

“This intermediary with keep her here with us until Ragnarök.” The first smiled with glee. Soon the future Time Lord would come and establish a bridge to their Tree. From there she will be able to fulfill all her destinies. 

The three took their places around the roots of the World Tree and relaxed as the past, present and future began to flow like a steadily moving stream once more, feeding the World Tree. The second always stood guard as her flow was always the most explosive and she never could allow herself to drift with the flow. The first lost herself in the ways to come and the third watch all that had passed before looking for where the lost one would end up. She was not happy when she looked and couldn’t not find the lost child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of Part one  
> Part two will be a short story (by my standards) before Part Three which will be a year later. I will not post a story until it is 90% complete, meaning that the story is written but needs editing and fleshing out. Part three is WELL underway. I have missing scenes to fill in and a battle to write however and that always takes time. I hope to start posting Part three by Dec, at the latest Christmas.


End file.
